JLA: The Third Hell
by MrManiac
Summary: Darkseid rules the earth. Could the JLA Return? Set 15 years in the future a Crisis is coming! Updated! At last chapter 25: Batman! WW! GL! Superman! Mark Kent! Spectre! One unsuspected guest! Enjoy!
1. A New Genesis For a New Evil

Disclaimers: DC owns JLA and all characters

Disclaimers: DC owns JLA and all characters.Superman created by Shiegel & Shuster.

Batman created by Bob Kane. New Gods created by Jack Kirby. No money is made with this story.

Excuse grammar/spelling mistakes. English is not my primary language ;)

Hope you like it.

"_Born to raise hell, Born to raise hell _

_We know how to do it and we do it real well _

_Born to raise hell, Born to raise hell _

_Voodoo medicine cast my spell _

_Born to raise hell, Born to raise hell _

_Play that guitar just like ringing a bell _

_Take it or leave it_."

- Mötorhead.

**JLA: THE THIRD HELL **

**BOOK I: Fragments **

**Chapter 1: A New Genesis for a New Evil. **

Fifteen years ago.

At the end it was an old story. An old enemy.

It had to happen sooner or later. No one could avoid it. Earth was one dangerous place. Some of the most powerful beings of the universe lived there. You know how much of a threat could that be for some beings.

But this enemy usually watched, rarely made a move without thinking about the result of his actions. A smart foe. A very powerful one.

The deadliest of them all.

So, finally, the terrible day came.

And the hordes of Apokolips attacked Earth in one, sudden, violent impact. Thousands of cities, millions of good, working decent people died in seconds because of Darkseid´s destructive madness. The Dark God had at least found the equation of the Anti-life.

He was so inmediate, so effective that his success was incredible.

Heroes.

So many of them fell under the parademons´ fury. Almost of them died. And those who did not want to surrender, those who wanted to keep fighting... Well, Darkseid had a great cure for that. And to demonstrate he was serious, the dark lord of Apokolips destroyed Metropolis in one single, savage attack.

After one massive explosion produced by gigantic anti-life bomb, Metropolis was gone forever. Everyone who lived there, in just a second, died. A battle was fought and the God of Apokolips was victorious. It was a massacre.

After that, the heroes that had survived the war finally understood. They understood that they could not afford more innocent people to die. They surrendered in misery and shame. And then, they started to disappear one by one.

They simply... left.

Darkseid would never hesitate to destroy another major city. He just did not care anymore who died. No more heroes. There would never be a Justice League anymore.

Earth became a desolate, hot place. Darkseid needed only one year to turn the beautiful blue planet in a second Apokolips.

"The third hell". That´s how the survivors started to call Earth.

A fitting name.

And this was just the beginning of a new, frightening era. No more Super-beings. Long live Darkseid. Hunger, filth, disease was a common thing between the survivors. More than the fifty percent of the planet´s poblation was obliverated. The others were turned into slaves.

Now, if you look at the sky you´d see it´s always dark and red.

Flying around there are always parademons, ready to destroy what they think they must destroy. Ready to kill. Ready to fullfill their cruel master´s intention.

And if you listen with attention, you could almost hear a dark voice in the wind. A voice that could make you go insane.

"_Welcome, my friend_." it says.

Hear it.

"_Welcome to hell_."

Today.

Sometime in time there´s a tower.

Somewhere in Earth there´s a tower.

Somewhere, we know it exists.

Somewhere, but we don´t know where.

In that tower there´s a man sitting in a big, old chair. He´s looking at the wall. He does not say anything. It´s useless. No one talks to him, no one comes ever to see him.

He´s alone.

He´s been like that for almost twelve years. He eats and sleeps when he has to. But most of his time he looks at the wall and says nothing. His sad eyes are wet sometimes because (yes!) he cries.

We know he´s waiting. But we don´t know what he´s waiting for.

Once, some time ago Keystone City was a nice place to live.

Now look at it.

A destroyed filthy pit, full of metal and chaos everywhere.

Old people, useless for Darkseid´s plans, dying of hunger on the streets.

Parademons rule the sky. There´s a big factory where the old center of the city used to be. In that place, thousands of human beings work as slaves only for Darkseid´s pleasure. And there, with all those people, works a man that some time ago was almost like a god. A man that could move so fast you could not even feel him around you. A man so fast that time was a different reality to him.

But today, that man works like an ant in a hole. He is not a god anymore. He is just a dirty person that suffers as any other man. He has got no memory of what he was. He has got no feet either. He remembers an accident some years ago. Some nasty car accident where he lost his feet. Even though he works using walking sticks. And there´s no simpathy for him. No one shows that in here. His condition does not matter.

But this man sometimes dreams. Dreams that could be a product of his deluded mind.

A red suit. Adventures. And a world that was like a slow motion movie when he ran across it.

Paradise Island.

A place that once Darkseid almost destroyed. A great battle was fought there and amazons died for nothing. But a single woman resisted and won the battle.

Almost alone.

Now, that place does not mean anything to the Dark God. But from there, someone rises after fifteen years of exile.

A warrior.

A princess.

A Goddess.

She knows who she must contact. She also knows she could die in this mission. A mission of her own. But she does not care at all while she flies as light as a breeze, as beautiful as the early morning. A dream came true to the man that looks at her.

A heart so pure you could only love it. A will so strong you could never bend it. She flies. And wishes to find the only man that could give her hope again.

Yes.

"_What´s new, Griska_?" - asked the captain of the parademons that were flying around the big plant near to what once was Gateaway City.

"_Nothing, sir. I think the sighting was a false alarm. There are no super-beings on this area_."

Captain Vradda smiled and turned to the rest of the Parademons. They were forty in that squad.

All of them deadly. All of them dangerous. All of them cruel.

A true elite of Darkseid´s best.

"_It seems there´s no problem around here. We are going to make one flight of recognition and we´ll be over for tonight. I do not wish to fail to inform Lord Darkseid. He does not like the idea of this super-humans still being around..."_

"_There´s not a single one in this mudball_!" a parademon whispered to another.

"_Let´s go_."

With amazing order the Parademons elevated from the ground and started their silent flight around the plant. That big, deformed place made of metal was designed to extract radioactive material from the deepest capes of the planet. Soon, it would be ready to start it´s destructive work. What Darkseid wanted with that, no one knew for sure. But no one dared to ask and the Dark God did not have to give explanations to anyone.

The Parademons were finishing their flight when it happened.

Something, a rocket maybe, came out of nowhere. It hit Captain Vradda. The explosion killed him and other five parademons around. Their bodies fell to the ground covered with flames. Nrishna, the second officer, started shouting orders to the surprised warriors but he was not heard.

"_Cover! Cover! We´re under attack_!"

Nrishna tried to connect to their base, only fifteen miles away from there. He used his bracelet that had a special signal device. But it did not work. Something was interfering with the transmision. Nrishna watched in terror as eighteen parademons were electrocutated in the air. The smell of their cooked flesh was filling Nrishna´s nose and mouth. He had never felt such panic before.

He insisted with the bracelet but it was useless.

"_Help! Help_!!"

The rest of the squad was annihilated by some kind of toxic gas that came out of nowhere. Nrishna moved away as fast as he could and saw, from a safe distance, how they fell, one by one. Then, he discovered a silent bomb had exploded above them filled with that killer gas. He flew away but his men (men?) were not so lucky.

Soon they were all dead at his feet. Nrishna was the only one left alive.

"_Darkseid, what kind of thing has done this_?"

That was when Nrishna felt the sting of fear.

And then...

Nrishna saw one last thing before dying. A big black shadow. Something that came to him in the darkness, growling like a bear but it looked like a gigantic...

Bat.

Of course, Nrishna thought it looked more like a Bäldiir, a bat-like creature only found in planet Apokolips.

Something sharp cut the parademon´s throat. And something passed through his body, impaling him.

"_Get out of my planet_." a menacing voice said.

Those were the last words Nrishna heard.


	2. Choices

"_Into the void, I want to get away, get away..." - Kiss _

**Chapter 2: Choices **

ORDER.

Now.

"_A. New. Direction. Is. Being. Taken_."

"_Should. We. Get. Involved_?"

"_We. Should. Wait_."

"_Wait. And. See. If. He. Becomes. Involved_."

"_He. Has. Retired_"

"_Waiting. Is. A. Wise.Choice_."

"_Very. Wise_."

"_It. Is_."

"_Then. That. Wil.l Be.It_."

"_Wait_."

"_Wait_."

"_Yes_."

"_Yes_."

"_Agreed_."

"_Agreed_."

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Have you ever lost someone you loved?

He has.

Fifteen years ago he lost a whole city. One day, some time after the invasion, Darkseid decided to send a message to all the super- beings of the planet.

With an anti-life bomb he made his point clear. Metropolis disappeared in seconds. All the people who lived there were gone. Forever.

Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, Cat Grant, Ron Troupe, Lucy Lane, Bibbo, Emil Hamilton... Everybody died.

Lois Lane was not there when that happenned. She was at New York City covering what was later called "The Dark Battle" between Heroes and a first Elite of Peacemakers.

When she and Clark met again, Lois looked at Clark´s eyes and knew the man she loved did not exist anymore. Not after that massive carnage.

Clark had lost his way and faith in himself.

Finally Lois left him and asked Clark not to try to find her. And so, she was gone too.

Have you ever lost someone you loved?

It really hurts when you know you´ll never be near again that person again. That you´ll never feel again that touch, that smell, that voice.

You´ll never see that smile again.

Tha Antartic. Now.

This is where Kal-el lives now but he has not called himself that for a very long time. In his Fortress of Solitude he feels safe from a war he gave up many years ago.

Clark is convinced he does not deserve the name of Superman.

Not anymore.

Once he was a Champion.

Now, he is a tired, sad man living in pain. He uçis invulnerable.

But he is hurting inside his chest (just a little above the stomach, you know) and he wishes he was dead.

Sometimes when he is asleep he has nightmares.

And, who once was the Man Of Steel feels now as fragile as glass.

Like this he has spent years.

Every day the same for him. He is away from a world that disgusts him. A world he wishes not to remember. A world he would never return to.

Until the world finally comes up for him.

Superman (Clark. He´s not Superman anymore, remember?) is suddenly awake in the privacy of his fortress.

"_Wh- who´s there_?" he asks without even using his vision powers.

Then he hears the voice. That voice. That sweet voice.

"_It´s me, Kal_."

"_Diana_?"

"Yes."

"_Diana?? What are you_...?"

"_It´s time Kal. Time to end this_."

Clark looks at himself and then at Diana, who (still) is as beautiful as ever. Her costume is different. It´s the same but it looks more like an armor.

"_Would you mind to wait outside, Princess? I am not dressed_..."

Diana smiles at him and walks away.

"_As you wish_."

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Twenty parademons flew around with amazing order. They saw the bodies of the others inmediatly.

"_There they are_!"

"_Darkseid, what happened here_?"

"_I don´t know for sure. Looks like_..."

"_Something poisoned them_?"

"_Something or... someone_!"

"_Someone? Who_?"

"_There is no one here. This place is desolated_."

"_I don´t see anything unusual here. Maybe it was an accident. The plant is intact... Maybe they died from the radi_-"

In that exact moment the plant exploded and took all twenty parademons with it. There were left no traces. All bodies were burnt to ashes. They never knew what hit them.

Just like that, it was over.

The plant was gone. Fire was the only thing you could see there. The dark smoke elevated, like the shadow of a big bat trying to take off.

A big bat.

And far away from there, the man in the black suit laughs inside his tank.

"_Get out of my planet_" he says in a loud voice.

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The man that comes out of the room is wearing jeans and a shirt. There is sadness in his blue eyes and his black hair is covered with streaks. Diana is sitting on a strange kryptonian device that resembles a chair.

"_Diana... It´s been a while_..."

"_Fifteen years, Kal_."

"_You´ve not aged a day, my God_..."

"_I know you´ve been here since_..."

Clark sits down near her, but does not touch her. He closes his eyes before he speaks.

"_I lost, Diana. That is what you want to know, right_?"

Diana looks at him but says nothing.

"_I have lost my faith on everything I used to be, in everything I used to believe in..."_

"_You lost your wife... I know_."

"_The world is a place that repels me now, Princess_..."

"_That, I can´t believe. You are Superman_."

"_I was Superman. Now, I´m just a man that´s tired and wants to live alone and in peace for the rest of his days_..."

Diana is suddenly mad. Her face comes nearer to Clark´s.

"_You´re not serious. I know this is hard for you. You cannot give up! Not now_!"

"_Diana_..."

Diana stands up. Her eyes have a fierce expression. Something burns inside of her and Clark wonders what that could be. And wonders if he has lost that too (if he ever had it).

The fire inside.

"_The man I knew would never give in to self pity like you are doing_!"

"_I... I have nothing to live for, Diana_..."

"_How about this planet, Kal? How about your adoptive world, uh? How about every single man, woman, child that is suffering because of that damned ´New God´?" _

Clark lows his head and closes his eyes again, but Diana continues.

"_You told me once that you swore an oath. Here. Superman will always be the champion of life and never it´s destroyer! But now, doing nothing, you are destroying life! The most sacred gift there is... You´re stepping aside! Hiding away_!"

Silence.

"_You knew from the beginning you were fighting a never ending battle. Well, it is true. It is far from over. But I am here to help you fight. I am here to battle by your side, like so many time ago. It is time to end this_..."

Clark tries to say something but he changes his mind and stays silent.

"_The Oracle told me this is the moment, Kal. That is why I am here_."

Clark falls violently to the ground and covers his face with his hands. He is suddenly crying like a baby.

Years of pain growing inside of him are at last coming out. He cries full of anguish, full of rage, his powerful arms tremble.

Diana comes to him and hugs him, like a mother hugs and protects her little child.

"_It´s okay_." she says "_I´m here with you_."

"_Lois_…"

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ChAOs 

noW.

"_A cHanGe? In tHe cOurSe_!"

"_chAn_-"

"_Of!"_

"_EveNts! EvEntS_!

"_oF_??"

"_e-e-nts_"

"_AtTACk! ack? Att_"

_"So!?" _

_"Who is invol-VEd?" _

_"HE wIll?" _

"_vol.ved"_

_"hE!" _

_"WaIt MUs-T We. Wa..." _

_"We?" _

_"wAiT." _

_"FoR. CHangEs." _

_"nO!" _

_"He? ?he?" _

_"FiNe!" _

_"Wai-t TH3n!" _

_"Ag.gg." _

"Greed."


	3. Pride And Faith

"_Come on down and meet your maker, _

_come on down and make The Stand_." - The Alarm.

**Chapter 3: Pride and Faith **

First Sighting.

Parademons.

A whole squad were chasing a young kid in south Brazil.

The kid had escaped hours earlier from the special camp where human slaves produced food for demon troopers. Parademons had already slayed his mother as she escaped with him. She ordered him to keep running, to save his life, and not to look back.

"_I love you_!" she had said only seconds before her death at parademons´ weapons. They burnt her to dust in seconds.

The cruel creatures were hunting him like a small wild fox. Not because that little kid was a menace. Not because he was important. It was just for fun.

For the sport.

"_Look at him run. Shall I blow his head off or just one of his legs_?"

"_Wait, Braddo_" - Drratta the leader said - "_Let him enjoy his short time of freedom. It won´t be much_."

"_I will cut his spine in two_." Askhrif said.

"_That will be fun_."

"_Yes. And then I will eat his eyes_..."

The kid ran knowing he could not escape. He knew that. But in his heart he kept hope. Somehow, maybe he could escape.

A miracle.

Something, some divine force would keep him alive, like his mother said. "_In God I trust_" the kid said to himself and kept running.

Askhrif flew over the kid, made two passes and the boy fell to the ground. The parademon took a knife from the belt. He was ready for the kill.

"_Run, child! Run as fast as you can or will gut you like a Drohlg_!"

"_No_." a voice said.

Askhrif heard that voice in his own left ear.

A grown man´s voice.

A menacing voice.

A powerful one.

"_Wha_t?"

The parademon turned in the air and saw something in front of his very face. A sign. A symbol.

A big red "S".

Then he saw someone.

"_You´re a coward. Time to leave_." the same voice said.

"_Who ar_-..." the demon began to say but he could not finish his words.

Something hit him on the chest hard enough to hurl him towards a tree nearby. He heard the sickening noise of his own bones crushing with the impact. The branches, sharp as blades, impaled his lungs. He felt how his ribs pierced his intern organs and tasted his own blood. The parademon was dead.

"_What was that? Askhrif_!" Drratta shouted.

"_Hera! Aren´t you the big, bad leader_?" a woman´s voice chuckled behind them.

At the same time, ten parademons turned and saw a blackhaired woman floating, looking at them with eyes full of rage.

"_You! It... can´t be_..." the leader said with a frightened voice.

"_Though she was a legend_..."

"_But it´s her_..."

"_Darkseid_..."

"_Attack!! Kill her_!!"

"_Why, yes. Kill me_." the woman said.

And a smile appeared on her lips.

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Arizona.

There´s not a soul in the dessert now. But you can hear the voice of David Bowie singing. Listen.

"_I... I wish you could swim_..."

Meet Kyle. To you it looks as a long bearded, long haired dirty half-naked man. But he was more, you know. He used to be an artist, then, by a twist of fate, he was (suddenly) a superhero.

A replacement to one of earth´s greatest champions. But at this time he is nothing more than a lonely man living alone in the dessert.

No one disturbs him there.

He lives in a cave.

He does not use that special ring anymore. Even though he is using it now. But only to create a radio where he can listen to his favorite songs.

"... _Like dolphins can swim_..."

This particular song... Oh, this one is not one of his favorites. This one he hates. He used to love this song. But not anymore. Still, he lets the radio play it (_Why_?). Kyle wishes he had a cold beer, something with alcohol. Something to make him (_very_!) drunk and numb his anguish.

Numb his pain.

He has been there for some years. He used to escape from place to place until he realized no one would ever look at him in the middle of nowhere. Well, he is wrong. Kyle is sitting on a rock near his cave when he sees two tall figures coming down from the night´s sky. He should be worried. He does not move and sees them land and walk towards him.

Now he feels numb. Now he is not believing what he sees. Now his legs are shaking.

"_Hi, Kyle_." Superman says and smiles. "_You weren´t hard to find_."

Kyle is thinking "_where´s Big Blue´s red cape? Why is he wearing that black jacket_?". He will laugh later when he remembers that.

"_Nice to see you_." Diana says.

Kyle says nothing but tears slowly begin to come out from his eyes. And he does not realize he´s smiling (_yes_!) for the first time in years.

"_Hi, Princess._" he finally says... "_Welcome back_..."

David Bowie´s voice keeps coming from the green radio.

"_We could be heros... just for one day_..."

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The voice that came out from the monitor sounded like thunder. But the screen was dark and the face behind the voice was not visible.

"_A complete squad, captain Sartroff_?"

"_Yes, sir. All of them dead_."

"_Did you saw what happened_?"

"_We only know what one of the troopers said before dying, sir_."

"_Well_...?"

"_He described in his agony and I quote: ´Big man and a woman. They flew away... flew away´. Then he died_."

"_Lord Darkseid will not be pleased if he hears about this. I trust you will make all you can to keep this under the covers, Captain Sartroff_..."

"_Yes, sir. You do not have to worry, sir. I will keep this safe, sir_."

"_That is exactly what I want you to do, captain_."

"_Escuse me sir. But what if ´man and woman´ start causing proble_..."

"_Then, I´ll take care of them, Sartroff. Personally. Over and out._"

The monitor was suddenly dead. Captain Sartroff scratched his head feeling clearly excited. He had never talked before with...

"_Captain Sartroff_..." a guard behind him asked "_Wasn´t that_...?"

"_Yes_." Sartroff answered. "_He is the traitor that helped Darkseid defeat the damned super-beings. Fifteen years ago_."

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"_Nice to be shaved again, right Kyle? And you did quite a good job cutting your hair too_." Superman said.

"_It was a long time since I used my ring for things like this, and not for hunting small rabbits and birds_." Kyle replied.

They sat in the middle of the dessert, on a cold night in front of a nice fire courtesy of Wonder Woman. They were eating rabbit. A thin one, but at least it had some meat.

"_I have been away from the fight, guys. I am not sure I can do what you ask me_."

"_We understand, Kyle. But you are Green Lantern. You´d be of great help_."

Kyle leaned back on a rock near him.

"_Look, I´ve been alone for a lot of time, hiding, running. It sucks big time. The risks of making an attack now are big_..."

"_We know_." Diana said. "_If people, humans see us it could mean death for them. Darkseid would not tolerate sightings_."

"_The thing is we are not too many, Princess. And remember: we lost a lot of comrades fifteen years ago in the... in the_..."

"_In the Dark Battle_." Superman finished.

"_Yes. There are only three of us? Not a challenge for the Dark God... And I´ve heard things_..."

Superman was suddenly interested.

"_What is thats_?"

Kyle cleared his throat and drank from his (green) glass not without thanking before Wonder Woman and Clark for bringing him clean, fresh water. The one Kyle extracted from the bottom of the dessert pits was not delicious as that one.

"_Well, I´ve heard Darkseid has changed. Evolved or something. I don´t think_..."

"_Wha_t?"

"_Maybe it´s only speculation but from what rumors say, Darkseid is even deadlier now than fifteen years ago... Something is different in him_."

"_How could that be, by Hera_?"

Kyle moved again near the fire and extended his hands to receive heat. The cold wind from Arizona night was making him shake.

"_I don´t know. But if it´s true then we face a new enemy. Someone different_."

The three friends were silent for a few minutes. All lost in their own, deep, thoughts.

"_What about other heroes_?" Superman finally asked.

"_I don´t know. But I have heard rumors about a big bat-like creature_..."

"_Hera, I can´t be_..."

"_That creature. Well, he really terrifies the Parademons. They are a cowardly and __superstitious__ lot_".

Kyle raised his eyebrows and made a half smile while he threw a small dry branch into the fire. The branch made a cracking noise when the flames touched it.

"_Maybe it´s not true... But we know what he is capable of, right? Anyway, this Bat-like thing strikes hard and fast. But there are no sightings reported... It´s kinda a myth_..."

"_That is so like him_..." Superman said. "_Anyone else_?"

"_I am not sure. Hawkman died ten years ago. He tried to stop an execution. They were going to kill some woman he was... involved with... Anyway, Those demons burned him alive. That was when I began to run... Captain Marvel is dead too. Darkseid killed him in person. He tore his head off from his torso. And I have not heard of Aquaman for a long time_..."

"_Arthur_..." Diana said and looked at Superman.

"_We could try to find him... But first we should contact Batman_."

"_So you think it´s him_?" Kyle asked.

Superman stood up and looked at the big white moon above them.

"_Well... Who else could it be_?"


	4. The Descent

"_Come in, she said I´ll give you shelter from the storm_ ." - _Bob Dylan_.

**Chapter 4: The Descent **

The man with dark eyes fell to the ground. He did not know where he was.

A dark place, a hellish place. Well, nothing new there. He had seen many horrors, and he was sure the worst was still to come. Pain ruled his body. He was also tired and hungry.

He was starving, actually.

And there was nothing around, only an infinite desert, the moon glowing over him like a silver dollar in a dark red sky.

He was alone.

He had always been alone.

He could not remember when was the last time he had a nice, gentle conversation with somebody. But the night was beautiful, in a strange kind of way.

And cold. Very cold.

He did not have a problem with that. Yes, he did like that strange night. Even though he was in a place that scared him.

The man stood up and started walking.

He did not know where his path could end. But it did not matter. Not now. Not at all.

He tried to smile but he had forgotten how.

Crying. That was his thing.

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In Lousiana there was a gigantic chemical plant.

There, some of the deadliest chemicals from Apokolips and Earth were tested on human beings regularly. Almost three hundred men and women died each year on that dreadful pit. But that night the plant was empty, except for the usual parademons that were cleaning the instalations. The next pack of prisoners was expected the coming week.

Experimentation had to continue.

An empty plant. No humans beings. Just parademons.

It was the right time.

And it happened.

The black tank entered the place destroying the gate of the plant. It engine roared like a wild beast., a black dragon from old fantastic stories. It fired ten missiles at the same time that destroyed completely the left wing of the building. Someone (something?) came out of the tank and fired an enormous web against six surprised parademons. Then he pressed a button placed on his glove and the demons were electrified.

Screams and the smell burned meat invaded the place.

An awful way to go.

Two parademos flied down firing lasers to the cloaked figure. He avoided all the shots without effort and threw threw two dagas at them impaling their necks.

The tank fired ten more missiles and the rest of the plant blew up, killing the rest of the parademons who never had a chance to know what attacked them. The place was demolished in seconds and big flames were devouring the rest of the place.

It was over.

The man with the black cape jumped inside the tank and, in the blink of an eye, he was out of there.

The fire was visible from miles away from there.

The black tank roared again.

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"_Impressive_." Superman said looking at the smoke elevating to the sky.

Wonder woman moved her head slowly and softly touched her chin with her right hand. Her voice had a hint of amazement.

"_I´ve never seen him act like that. He... obliverated that plant_..."

"_And exterminated more than a couple of demons in the process_..." Kyle added with a soft laugh.

"_There he goes. Like a bat out of hell. Let´s go_."

"_I am right behind you, Kal_."

The three of them flew over the speeding Batmobile, that now looked like a tank, and called for the man inside.

"_Batman_!"

For a few minutes the big machine continued it´s fast march. But then, with a strange noise, it stopped. Then, a door opened and a dark knight came down from the tank.

Superman landed a only few steps from the man in the bat-suit and saw something different in him.

He seemed bigger, stronger and meaner than ever before.

Superman remained silent. Batman too. They were examining each other.

Suddenly, he walked towards the last son of Krypton and punched him on the face. Superman fell down to the ground, feeling dizzy. It was almost like his powers went down as Batman hit him.

"_Punk_." Batman said in a low voice that sounded more like a growl.

"_How did y...? Kryptonite_?" Superman asked as he was standing up again.

"_What do you want? What are you doing here_?"

Batman looked up and saw Diana and Kyle coming down. They landed and firmly stood behind Superman. Diana tried to find any emotion on Batman´s face but she saw none.

"_Both of you too, I see_."

"_We need your help, Bruce_." - Superman felt his powers returning - "_We´ve been away but now we must stop this madness. This is_..."

"_Shut up_." Batman´s voice was menacing as Clark had never heard it. The man of tomorrow felt shame and said nothing.

"_You come here now, you ask for my help. Where have you been? Thousands of innocent people have died all around the world_."

"_I have had some_..."

"_What?? Problems? Don´t talk me about problems_."

"_I´d_..."

"_You ran away, am I right? Where did you go? The Antartic? The Artic? Atlantis_?"

Superman could not take that any longer and exploded in rage.

"_Shut up! You don´t know a thing! I´d lost my wife! My family! You don´t know...!"_

Superman walked towards Bruce but, suddenly, Clark´s powers were gone again as Batman caught him by the throat. The pain was unbearable and he fell to the ground landing heavily on both of his knees.

"_Don´t tell me I don´t know what´s like to loose a family. Do you hear me? DO YOU HEAR ME_?" Batman growled, his face very close to Superman´s.

Batman then released Clark, who felt his powers were slowly starting to come back but did not stand up, and turned his back on them walking to the Batmobile.

"_Batman_!" - Diana´s voice made Batman turn again- "_Don´t go_!"

"_What are you going to tell me, Princess? There is hope if we stand together? Divided we fall? What´s the point? All of you forgot about this planet. You turned your damned backs on it a long time ago. Fifteen years I´ve fought alone. As I now turn my back on you_."

Diana came closer to him. She suddenly saw pain in Batman´s face. He was fighting alone against Apokolips. The only one who had kept doing something to recover his planet when the others had given up. Bruce had not given up hope. He would never give up. He was angry, disgusted because they had powers and they left. They left him alone to fight against monsters.

"_You are not alone anymore, Batman. You have got us by your side. You only have to_..."

"_What, Princess? What do you want me to do now_?" the voice was cold as ice.

Diana put her hand on the Dark Knight´s shoulder who did not move. His face was suddenly in darkness and Wonder Woman could not see his expression (if he had one).

"_Forgive. Forgive me, please_." she said and her voice suddenly sounded like a sob. The Princess of Amazons was apologizing. Pride was a secondary thing for them now.

Kyle came closer. He had not said a thing but now it seemed like the time He cleared his throat.

"_Forgive me... us_." he said, feeling like an embarrassed small child. Damn, those guys always made him feel like that. Even though he was a grown man now. He would always be the rookie.

Superman walked towards them, still feeling a little dizzy.

"_I think you got what you wanted. Can we bury the hatchet now_?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The fortress of Abargruihn looked like hell itself. Situated where once was Washington D.C., it had been there for ten years. It was one of Darkseid´s three headquaters on the planet.

Somewhere, deep inside of it, the traitor opened the hidden secret door and made his descent to the dark place behind it. Almost no one was allowed to enter that place of the fortress. There, where a creature rested in the dark. Waiting. The traitor looked at the dark cell, where the monster stood up in silence. It made not a move, not a sound. It had been like that for years. Since Darkseid sent it to earth.

"_What do you say, big guy_?" the traitor asked with a cruel smile on his face.

"_Shall I release you? Do you want to do a little job for me?"_

The place was silent, except for the traitor´s laugh.

"_Now it is your time. You will make me proud. Very proud_."

In the darkness of the cell, the creature opened it´s eyes. Red. Red eyes. A killer´s eyes. They looked at the blackness and then they were closed again.

The traitor laughed again and walked out from that damned place.

"_Soon, my pet_." he said and laughter came out of his throat like vomit.

He got out and the cell remained in darkness. The creature made only one, soft, low sound. One word.

One name that had not been spoken for a long time. The first word it learnt.

"_Muhtrplsssssss_..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Somewhere in Lousiana. four persons sitting in the forest, near the swamp. Those were one of the few places in heart where Darkseid had not destroyed the vegetation. Earth was not a complete mess so far.

"_It´s true, then_." Superman said.

"_Yes._"

"_You´re saying no one survived_?" Wonder Woman inquired.

"_Almost no one_."

"_Barbara, Tim_...?"

Batman´s voiced suddenly was filled with rage.

"_Dead. All of them."_

Kyle suddenly felt a wave of nausea. Fear. That was all. Fear.

"_Great God... And the Titans_?"

"_Starfire was the only one that survived the Dark Battle. She was killed by Parademons eight years ago. I buried her myself_."

Wonder Woman shook her head. The Dark Battle was a massacre. A bloody carnage. She fought there too and now she barely remembered it. Maybe her own mind did not allow the memory to stay around. But she remembered some of her comrades dying.

Those parademons were cruel creatures. She hated them. Bruce and Starfire never got along well. Bruce never got along with anybody, really. But they fought side by side in that battle. Dick was killed there and they both saw it. There was nothing they could do. The parademons tore him to pieces in seconds.

Wonder Woman looked at Batman. He was not looking at her. He was explaining about some attack he suffered a couple of years ago where Arsenal died. He was a good man. A true warrior. And pain had not died in him. It was still alive. A man who had lost all of his children. Diana could not imagine how much that could hurt.

"_What do we do now_?" Kyle asked.

"_Well, we must find Arthur_." Superman answered then looked at Batman. "_Have you seen him lately_?"

"_No. He is in Atlantis. I´m not sure Darkseid knows about that place_."

"_How do we contact him_?" Green Lantern wanted to know.

"_You must go and find him_." Batman told Superman.

"_Fine. But I will need you with me, Diana. Arthur and you were... close friends, right_?"

Kyle allowed himself a smile when he saw Wonder Woman blushing.

She recovered quickly from Superman´s remark.

"_I´ll be there with you, Kal_."

"_And we could use some extra help_." Batman said at the same time he stood up and looked at the forest. "_We´re not alone_." he told the others.

"_What the_...?"

Diana stood up too and prepared for attack but Batman just stood there looking at the trees. There was silence all around. Just an owl made a strange noise.

"_Show yourself. I know you´re here_..."

The trees and plants around them moved at the same time. The birds made noises in their trees

Something behind him happened, something suddenly appeared from nowhere. Something that looked like a man, but it was not. They were all paralized with fear. What was that? Superman could not believe his eyes.

An abomination was standing in front of him.

"_By Krypton_..."

"_Great Gaea_..."

But Batman was calm and came closer to the monster that was now in front of them in silence. The creature extended something that looked like a branch and "shaked" hands with Batman.

"_Alec Holland_." Batman said. "_The Swamp Thing_."


	5. The Rising

"_Come up for the rising..." - Bruce Springsteen_.

**Chapter 5: The Rising**.

The man arrived to an old, destroyed highway.

That walk along the hot dessert had clearly exausted him.  
But now, at the end of two long days, he was at last finding  
his way to somewhere. Or so it seemed.

The highway looked like no one had used it for years.  
Destroyed, like a thousand elephants had ran over it.  
Concrete was plagued with holes.

There was a torn sign on the floor and, although it was covered with some crawling ivy, he could still read what was written on it with big white letters:

METROPOLIS 120 MILES.

The man remembered one time (long ago) when he had a place to call his own.  
Home.

His home. What was it like?  
He could not remember it well...

The memory only remained in his head for a few seconds. His memories had not been clear for... how long? Twenty years? Thirty years?

It did not matter.

What remained of Metropolis was way ahead of him, and something (he didn´t know what) was calling him from there. Some kind of force was summoning him to that place.

"_Come, child. Come. I´m waiting_..."

And he would go. Of course. He would go. As he had always done.

He was afraid but he kept walking as the sky over him suddenly got dark with gray and black stormy clouds. The biggest storm in history was about to begin.

But not yet.

Just not yet.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The four heroes were quite comfortable inside the Batmobile.  
The amazing machine had also a cloaking device that kept it safe from unwanted eyes. Batman was driving while the others were talking about what had just happenned. Superman was still surprised with the situation and wanted to know what Batman had spoken with that creature.

The Swamp Thing talked with Bruce alone back in the woods and Clark´s super-earing could not reach their dialogue.

Amazing. Strange.

"_So... you talked with... ´him´ for a while. What did ´he´ said_?"

Batman´s white eyes focused at Superman and kept silent for a few seconds.  
The only sound they could hear was the tank´s roaring.  
Then he said:

"_The Swamp Thing is an elemental. He is only worried about their kind_."

"_Uh... like...monsters_?" Kyle asked.

Batman looked at him with an expression that made Green Lantern lean back on his seat. But then, he smiled. Kyle was astonished.

"_No. Plants_."

"_Oh_..." Kyle said and focused his attention on the desolated landscape that could be seen from one of the tank´s window. _"Not that I´ve seen many of that for a while. I´d like to see some green again... Green is... nice_."

Diana came closer to Batman and asked him:

"_Did you know Buddy Baker_?"

"_Animal Man_." Bruce answered.

"_Yes. Well, he had this kind of elemental powers... But instead of plants, he was kind of... linked with animal species_."

"_He is dead_."

"_I know but... maybe there are other forces in the planet we have not counted on... Elemental creatures_."

Superman scratched his head and joined the conversation he had started.

"_Trees and vegetation still exist in the planet and that´s why we can still breathe. Darkseid is not stupid. He knows earth is rich, and he will use it for his own purposes. But other forces we don´t know about..."_

Batman nodded.

"_Agreed. But the Swamp Thing is still alive. That proves that Darkseid does not know everything about our planet. As we don´t either. I wasn´t sure Holland had survived until tonight_."

"_So_?" Kyle asked.

"_So we don´t know who... or what else could still be out there_." Diana said.

Superman made a funny but worried sound with his tongue.

"_Let´s just hope Arthur is still alive_."

"_He is alive allright_." Batman said. "_I´ve sent him a signal to his old JLA device. He answered while I was talking to the Swamp Thing_".

"_I did not hear that_." Clark said.

"_Of course."_ Bruce answered. "_We´ll meet him on the south coast_."

"_So, that is where we are headed for, right_?"

"_Yes_."

"_Cool. A nice chat with the king of the seven seas_." Green Lantern grunted and kept looking at the dry landscape that the window showed him.

"_God, I really liked Louisana"._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Somewhere in time there´s a tower.  
Somewhere in Earth there´s a tower.  
Somewhere, we know it exists.  
Somewhere, but we don´t know where.

Inside that tower there is a man.

That man has been there for so long. But now he is wearing that old blue and yellow suit he had almost forgotten.  
His eyes, that were sad and lifeless for so many years, are now alive and bright. His heart is beating inside his chest and he feels good. Good to be alive.  
The crystal ball has revealed him something.

He´s about to put on his helmet when the voice (coming out from an invisible mouth somewhere around him) suddenly speaks:

"_Kent. Nelson. Don´t. Do. It_."

"_Lords of Order. Nice of you to drop by_."

"_You. Must. Not. Interfere. If. You. Do. So. (,) Chaos. Will. Become.  
Involved. Too_."

"_I don´t give a damn, guys. This is the time to make amends_."

Kent Nelson puts on his old golden helmet and blazes of light suddenly rise around him. Power. Good, wonderful power. Alive again after so long.

"_Don´t_."

Kent Nelson/Nabu now speaks with another voice. A deep voice that sounds like those that come out from walkie-talkies, but stronger.

"_Yes. Let Chaos send whoever they want. I will do what I must. And you, old lords, must understand that living is about taking chances. I Am going to take a chance now. And it is the right path to follow_."

One minute later he is flying across the sky like he did before. He´s feeling wonderful, even though he knows about the danger that awaits. The time is at hand. And he will give his life if he has to.

A magician.

A wizard.

A man.

And so, he is reborn.

Do it.

Rise again!

**Dr. Fate. **

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The man that was standing on the beach had a resemblance to those old greek statues from the museums that show us how gods should be. His blonde hair was even longer than before and he had shaved his beard. Also, his body was bigger, stronger. Where his left hand used to be, now there was a new hook. Sharp and deadly when he used it.

A big scar on his back was the prove of his courage on the Dark Battle.  
His uniform had some differences too. He wore a long blue cape, a crown  
made of coral.  
And all the water of the ocean could never extinguish the fire in his eyes.

The Batmobile arrived a few minutes after the man on the beach came out of the sea.

Wonder Woman got down of the black vehicle first followed by Superman.  
Behind him, Kyle came out.

"_Arthur_!!" Diana cried out and walked fast towards him. She hugged him but the king of the ocean did not return the hug. He just patted her on the back and said with his funny accent:

"_Diana_."

"_It´s great to see you again, Arthur_."

"_Hello, Kal_." Arthur replied. Not even the hint of a smile on his face.

"_We are here to_..." Superman started but Arthur interrupted him.

"_You want the league to join again, right_?"

"_Yes. We need to be together. It´s the only way to claim our planet again_."

Arthur let out a bitter laugh that made Superman frown.

"_We were together so many years ago, remember? That battle? Darkseid defeated us. He is even more than powerful now. And in our stubborn intent to fight, thousands of innocents died in vain_."

Superman looked straight into Arthur´s eyes.

"_This is the last stand, Arthur. You were one of us. We need you_."

"_That is right. You need me. More than I need you. Darkseid has not attacked Atlantis. I doubt he knows of it´s existence. I am the king of the ocean. I rule in the deep. There´s still peace there. And, believe me, I do not want that to change_."

Wonder Woman was astonished. She just could not believe the words that were coming out from Arthur´s mouth.

"_So... you will not join us? You will not help us_?"

"_I´ve got responsabilities, Princess. We atlanteans have lived in peace for years. Your problems are not mine. Not anymore. JLA was fun. And we saved the world more times than I care to remember_."

"_But_...?" Kyle asked feeling quite upset.

"_But it´s in the past, Kyle. I did what I could. I almost died in that damn battle. And many of our friends did. We lost. It´s over. I´ve got bigger things now to care for and one of them, and the most important, is keeping Atlantis safe_."

"_You won´t keep it safe for long, Arthur_." a voice behind Kyle said.

"_Well, you can´t make me change my mind, Batman. Not even talking low and  
scary like that_."

Batman walked past Superman and Diana and faced Arthur who did not move at the Dark Knight´s creepy white stare.

"_Do you think you´ll be able to keep your oceans safe forever, Arthur_?"

"_Yes. I´ve being doing it for years_."

"_Wrong. It´s the same planet we live on. We are not talking about what is better only for the sea_."

"_You can´t talk to me like_..."

"_Shut up. You know what will happen after Darkseid destroys all our resources? Yes. He will start with the sea. I´m sure he knows the possibilities. It´s a rich world down there."_

"_I´ve kept peace for_..."

"_Yes, you have. But it won´t last, Aquaman. It won´t last_."

Arthur´s lips were shaking. He was trying to say something. Anything. But he just could not find the words.

"_Go now. And I hope you are ready for the day parademons attack you because, believe me, they will, Arthur. They will_."

Batman turned his back on Arthur and walked away towards the Batmobile making deep tracks on the wet sand. Wonder Woman and Kyle looked at him. He was really a fearless man.

"_Let´s go. We have things to do_." Batman told the others.

They began to follow him. But then Arthur spoke again.

"_Bruce, you bastard_."

Batman stopped and turned again, staring at Arthur. Wonder Woman and Kyle turned too. Superman half-smiled.

"_One planet. That´s what we are_." Arthur said and then he was screaming.

A scream full of wrath. And behind him, the sea, suddenly  
exploded in a storm of waves and wind. Miles away, a lighting fell on  
the ocean and it´s powerful sound mixed with Aquaman´s voice.

When Arthur stopped the sea behind him was calm again.  
The king of the ocean had made a decision.  
They were five now. The atlantean was part of the team again.  
He took off his cape and his crown and hurled them at the sea.

"_Darkseid will not destroy my Kingdom. Not if... WE can stop him. For good_."

He walked with them towards the Batmobile.

"_I hate him when he´s right_." Arthur told Diana in a low voice.

"_He always is_." Diana answered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A man dressed with a black suit walked along the beach, letting the cold sea wet his feet. Water felt good. He was wearing black glasses, his dark hair was short but he had kept the beard.  
He had always liked his beard.

Even though it was dark already, he soon discovered the spot where, only a couple of hours ago, the five super-beings had met. The man smiled and got down on one knee.

He touched the sand and then smelled it. Like a lone wolf pursuing it´s prey. Old instincts died hard in him.

Unlike the other man, who was walking to what once was Metropolis, this man was quite aware of what could happen next. He had a lot of experience.

And a lot of time.

"_So, there are five of them then_." he said to himself. "_Good_."

He was one of the more dangerous men that ever walked the planet.  
No one is sure in how many events of history he was involved. If you search in some of the books at your local library, you´d probably find some reference of him. He even says he´s on the Bible but, of course, admits he´s not an important figure there.

The man stood up, snapped his fingers and a packet of Camel appeared in his hand. He picked one cigarette and used an old, rusty lighter to light it.

The man in the black suit laughed and snapped his fingers again. He was suddenly gone but his laugh remained in that lonely place, like a bad, fading dream.

He knew where to find them now.

And he would find them.

Of course.

He always did.


	6. A Heap Of Bones

_"A scrap of flesh and a heap of bones  
One deep sigh and a desperate moan  
Three black eyes and a busted nose  
I said oh yeah, oh yeah." - The Rolling Stones. _

**Chapter 6: A Heap Of Bones**.

"_Oh, yeah_!" Kyle Rayner was excited as a child on his first day in a theme park. "_This place has changed so much! It´s amazing! Wow! Wow_!"

The Batcave was a fortress. In fifteen years Batman had improved it in all the possible ways. There were at least four hundred computers working at the same time. Five different Batmobiles, including the tank. Panels, cloaking devices, lasers, weapons, a new training field, a gigantic room with a personal library with more than a million books.

Also,the usual stuff: The gigantic coin from that early Two-Face case, the dinosaur the Penguin used against Bruce and Dick so many years ago and a gigantic card, courtesy of the Joker.  
Inside a glass case near the coin the old Robin suit was hanging. In a bronze plaque below it was written: "Jason Todd - A Good Soldier."  
A few feet away, in another glass case there was a sword that seemed like an hybrid between alien and samurai. At it´s side a human skull with a big hole on it´s forehead. Clark looked at it and wondered if the hole could have been the cause of death. He doubted that. It looked a post-mortem "wound".

"_It seems you´ve been busy, Batman. This new technology is incredible. I´ve never seen things like this before_." Superman said as he looked at a strange gigantic secondary computer panel.

"_Maybe you had seen some of it in your Fortress._" Batman replied.

"_How did you build this_?" Aquaman asked touching a strange silver-colored Bat-suit.

"_Don´t touch that_."

The high-tech suit gave Arthur a little electric shock that made him jump backwards shaking his right hand up and down quickly.

"_Owwww! Damn_!"

"_I Told you. I used it against an alien killer long ago_."

"_The same kind we faced as the JLA some time after that?"_ Wonder Woman asked.

"_Yes. That was the first of many encounters_."

A distinguished cough sounded upstairs. The five heroes looked up at the tall, thin (and very english) man that was standing on and entrance that lead straight into Wayne Manor.

"_Good morning, Mr. Kent, Ms. Diana, Mr. Curry, Mr. Rayner. Would you like something for breakfast? I can offer you a delicious roast with new potatoes. I believe you´ll like it_"

"_Alfred! I´m so glad you´re okay_!" Superman said happily.

"_Well, Alfie! You bet I´m on to that breakfast! I´m starving_!" Kyle said and ran up the stairs.

Alfred let the hurried Green Lantern pass by his side and then directed to Aquaman:

"_Mr. Curry, I remember your need for water so I prepared the basement swimming pool for you. It´s full of sea water. You can use it anytime you want_."

"_Wow. Thank you, Alfred. I think I´ll go there right now, If you don´t mind_."

"Not at all, Sir." Alfred replied with a smile of satisfaction on his face as Aquaman hurried himself to the basement. Then, the buttler went to the kitchen to finish breakfast.

"_Breakfast? So you manage to get food_".

"I´ve got supplies. You know me, Clark. I was ready for something like this. I´ve also my own orchard. Since Darkseid took over this planet food does not taste quite the same, but we will survive."

"_So. What´s the plan now, Bruce_?" Superman inquired.

"_We´ll take a couple of days to rest and get ready for what comes next_?"

"_A couple of days? You´ve got to be kidding_!" Superman said.

Batman answered with calm in his voice.

"_No. It is necessary. I have not slept for about four days and we need to make plans. They won´t find us. The Manor is not visible. It is protected by holograms and laser beams_."

"_How is that_?" Diana asked.

"_Simple, Princess. If you look at the Manor from the outside you´d only see rocks and burned trees. I´ve made this place as safe as possible_."

Superman chuckled.

"_And no one can prove Batman exists, right?"_

"_Right_."

"_Gotham´s in ruins... so they are not looking for you. Brilliant_."

Batman was sitting in front of the computer. Information arrived at every moment and he checked it out in seconds. The resources Bruce used were good, really good. Secret agents that did not know who they were working for inside the prisons and even inside the enemy lines. Secret cameras, recordings. Every tool that Bruce could use was being used.

Then Batman saw something that made him growl. Superman and Diana came closer and stood behind him.

"_What´s wrong_?" Superman asked, intrigued.

"_This was taken with a special camera I got hidden on Kane Highway. The one that took you to Metropolis_..."

"_I... remember_..." Clark said and a painful memory of Lois made him close his eyes like someone had stabbed him in the back of his head. Lois Lane. Where could she be now?

"_So... Who´s that, Batman_?"

"_You don´t remember him, Princess? Take a good look_."

The big screen in front of them showed a man with a gray cape walking along the highway. His steps were light and he seemed to be hypnotized His face was not very visible, and his hair (gray also) was long enough to touch his shoulders. Then he was gone from the screen.

"_I don´t know... he seems familiar... but I_..."

"_Remember the War Of The Gods_?"

"_Oh... Great Gaea_..." Wonder Woman said in a hush and covered her mouth with her right hand.

"_Son of a... No, It can´t be... him... Not after all this time_." Superman said opening his blue eyes wide with surprise.

"_But we´ve have seen him before the War of the Gods, Princess. I don´t remember quite well how that event took place but it happened. And It was big. Now it seems all too familiar. The red skies, the lightings during day_…"

Batman moved his chair towards Wonder Woman direction and said in  
a low voice:

"_When that event took place you were not in Man´s world yet, right_?"

Diana did not know what to say.

"_I_..."

"_Still some fragments of my memory tells me you were there. even though we all know you weren´t. Strange, isn´t it_?"

Batman did not wait for an answer and moved the chair back to it´s place. He kept staring at the screen, reviewing the tape a few times more.

"_So it is him, then? And he is going to... M-Metropolis_?" Superman asked.

"_So it seems_."

"Hera. Why now?"

"_I don´t know. And I don´t think we should -or could for that matter- stop him_."

Superman sighed.

"_Well, I´m not sure I´d like to try that. Things get creepy as hell when Pariah´s around_."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The following night.

In Keystone´s former old center there was a big factory with thousands of human beings working as slaves. With all those people there was a man with no feet that worked in silence using walking sticks.

This man was in his cell trying to sleep. But he could not because of the dreams. The dreams just kept haunting him.

ZOOM.

He sometimes remembered how he used to feel when he was a god.

The god of speed.

Faster than sound, faster than light. The third of a tradition. A legacy. The only one that was left. His precedessors had died long ago. How? He did not remember.

Wait.

That was a dream. He never was a god. He had some kind of accident he had where he lost both of his feet. Something happened with a parademon´s axe.

Axe? Or a car?  
A car, of course.

ZOOM.

He did not remember ever having or needing a car. But he was sure that´s how it was.  
Yes, that was it.

He was suddenly awaken by a strange noise.  
That prison/factory was famous because of it´s rule of silence. No one was allowed to talk at any time. If you did you were dead. And that was enough to make you crazy.

"_Wally_."

He felt it.  
He felt how it went up from the lowest part of his spine to the back of his head.  
A cold chill.

That name. Someone had said THAT name.

He sat on his dirty old bed and tried to see something or someone in the dark. Nothing. His cell had a tiny window but the only thing he could see from there was some clouds, part of  
the big yellow moon and Kyle´s stupid smile.

He laid back on the bed only to get up inmediatly.

Kyle´s stupid smile?

"_Hi there, pal."_ Kyle whispered from outside the prison window. "_We´ll get you out in a couple of seconds. Superman´s making some parademons go to sleep early_."

Suddenly, a long green circle formed on the cell´s wall and, with the blink of an eye the circle was gone (with that part of the wall too!). Wally took his sticks and moved towards the hole.

Floating outside, under the yellow moon was Green Lantern. He used his ring to make a big-sized green bubble where Wally got in, still not understanding why he was doing that.

"_I´ve got this for you. Something Batman designed_." Kyle said and from a green bag floating at his side took a couple of silver-colored boots. "_Put them on. Quickly_!"

"_B-b-b-but_..."

He did so, acting like zombie, and suddenly he saw they fitted.  
His legs were mutilated but this "boots" allowed him to stand and walk.  
Wally tried walking in the bubble without the sticks and fell down.  
He stood up and tried again. The boots worked.

"_My God_..."

"_Hi, Wally_!" Superman appeared in front of them. "_Let´s go_."

Wally saw the Big "S" was not wearing his red cape anymore.  
Instead he wore a long black coat. His blue suit, red boots and the simbol on his chest were all the same. But the funny red underwear was not there either. He was dressed for darker times.

They flew out of there as fast as possible (and that was very fast). In seconds they were miles away from there.

They did not notice the black shadow in the air following them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The pool was inmense and that pleased Arthur.  
He was there almost all day and he got out only to eat something.  
Then, he returned to the pool.

So that was how rich people lived.

He was an emperor. Luxury was not a foreign concept for him, but Wayne Manor was a place worthy of a king . Damn, it was a freaking palace!  
He laid under the water and closed his eyes, relaxing. Almost like being home he thought. Almost. He felt someone was watching him just five seconds after he closed his eyes.

He emerged and looked at the beach chairs outside the pool.

Diana.

Dressed with a green shirt and a gray jogging. She had her hair tied up and it fell smoothly on her back. She was as beautiful as ever. Perhaps even more. She was drinking a Coke and her fingers moved nervously, tapping quickly on the can.

The Amazon Princess looked like a school girl on her prom party waiting for the man of her dreams to come over and take her for a dance. Maybe she could receive a kiss from him too.  
That idea made Arthur smile. He got out of the pool and walked towards her.

"_Have they returned_?" he asked and sat on a chair at Diana´s side.

"_Not yet_."

"_Batma_n?"

"_In the cave. He´s on heavy training_."

Arthur sighed and grabbed a diet Sprite bottle from a small table full of cans and drinks near him. He knew. Still, he decided to help her. Just a little.

"_You know_…" he teased as he drank from the bottle "_He´s clearly obsessed_."

"_He has always been like that. Wish I could_..."

"_What? You could what_?"

Diana left out an ironic chuckle and drank more Coke.

"_He´s the living proof of my failure_..."

Aquaman turned his head and looked at Wonder Woman with his mouth opened in amazement.

"_What? What are you saying, Diana_?"

"_When I first came to man´s world I was sure I could influence people..."_

"_Well, you did that_..." Arthur said with a smile and softly touched Diana´s face with the tip of the fingers on his right hand. She felt that and blushed.

"_Yes, but... I wish I could make him a_..."

"_A what_?"

"_A happier person_..."

Aquaman sighed.

"_Haven´t you thought that maybe, and I mean just maybe, he does not  
want to be a happier person? That´s not what Batman is_..."

"_I told him once he could learn from me, be happier_..."

"_What did he answer_?"

Diana chuckled. She drank another zip from her Coke.

"_ He said that maybe his way was better_..."

Diana looked down.

"_Some time later he… he gave me a rose. And he said that was the smallest part of himself… And he was giving it to me_."

Arthur shook his head and leant back on the chair.  
Diana was paying attention to the quiet water on the pool. Secretly she wondered how much could that have costed. Money! She was thinking about money! Money was a thing  
of the past. She did never really cared for that kind of stuff but now there she was: Sitting, driking cold Coke in the company of a handsome blonde man with an accent, and wondering about the price of a gigantic pool.

"_Hey, guys! Have you seen the new TV commercial where Wonder Woman drinks a Coke with Aquaman? How much do you think they´ve paid her for that_?" she thought and that make her laugh.

"_Nice to hear you laugh again. I´d forgotten you could do that_..."

"_I´m... I´m sorry, Arthur... something stupid just came to my mind_."

Arthur came closer to her, slowly.  
It was his turn to feel like a teenager trying to ask the girl of his dreams to please, please, please, please dance with him. He could almost imagine himself saying: "_Would you please honor me with this dance? I need water and I´ve got a stupid accent but that does not mean  
I am not great at parties. Look at my face! That is some grin_! "

God, she was beautiful. But...

Aquaman cleared his throat and then said:

"_You and I... well, we used to have_..."

Diana looked at Arthur and smiled. She put her left hand on his right knee. He couldn´t avoid to enjoy that. Arthur touched her hand gently.

"_Some kind of understanding... right_?" she said.

"_Yes. But I think... I think that was at that time. Remember when you were in... uhhh... when you had that crush on Clark_?"

Diana frowned and was serious, but only for a few seconds. Then, she could not avoid to laugh again.

"_Yes, I remember... So long ago_... _That was so obvious_!"

"_As you know, Princess, I´ve got a wife. I love her very much_."

"_I know... Arthur... that´s why you were reticent about joining us, right_?"

Aquaman sighed.

"_Part of it. It took me a long time to realize that love is one thing, friendship is other, and... sexual attraction something totally different too_."

"_I don´t follow_..."

"_I think you do. Why did you come here and talk about... him_?"

"_What do you mean, Arthur_?"

Diana´s voice sounded confused but Aquaman was sure she was faking. Like a teenager girl would do when her father asks her if she has been smoken cigarettes. ´What _do you mean, dad_?´

Just like that. Just like women do.

Women. You can´t live without them. You can´t kill them.

The king of the seven seas smiled and drank the few drops Sprite that remained in the bottle.

"_Bruce must have a lot of these saved somewhere_..." he thought.

"_I mean we´ve never been in love. We were... we liked each other... But there was no love there. And I find you, so beautiful and attractive right now, believe me. But I don´t love you, Diana. I mean I do love you, but just not like that_."

Diana let a bitter smile come to her beautiful red lips.

"_Like friends, right_?"

"_Yes. And that´s why you came here today to talk to me. You see me like a friend too. You came here for advice. We all love someone, Diana. I don´t know If you do love someone now, but I´m sure you´ve liked him for a long time. And I know you care for him a lot too." _

Diana did not answer. Her eyes focused on the quiet water of the pool again. The moonlight came in from a great panel window on the side of that basement and, with the dark red of the sky that night, made a wonderful effect on the fake sea in front of them. That made her remember one of the first movies she saw in man´s world: "_Cocoon_". She loved that film.  
Diana thought it was sweet.

"_Oh, C´Mon. It was a stupid movie_". Arthur said.

"_Did you…? Did you just read my mind, Arthur_?" Diana said with a mix of anger and amusement.

"Talk to him." Arthur said and got up.

He kissed her on the cheek. Diana observed him walk to the pool again. Friends. Arthur was a friend. Had she ever loved him? Had she ever really wanted him for a mate? She was not sure.

"_Arthur_...?" she said as Aquaman got into the water.

"_Yes?"_

_"Thanks." _

Aquaman bowed down in a funny way. Arthur had, after all, some sense of humor.  
"_You´re welcome. Go and talk to him."_

"_I think I will_." she said.

Wonder Woman turned and walked into the manor again. Just when she was going to close the door and leave Arthur alone, he called her name one more time.

"_Yes, Arthur?"_ she said and felt a little irritated when she saw he had a wicked smile on his face.

"_Are you scared_?"

"_Well, that´s not of your damn_..."

"_Diana_..."

"_Yes, I am_."

She left and slammed the door. Aquaman laughed out loud and prepared  
himself for a quiet night under the fake waves of that gigantic pool.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He came from behind, so Kyle did not see him.

Maybe his ring could have done something to avoid the attack but magic is a mysterious force, you know. Green Lantern was flying concentrated on the green bubble he was carrying. Wally had not said a word since they left that prison/factory in Keystone.

Superman did not even hear him approaching. He attacked hard and fast. Kyle felt something hard like a rock hit him on the back of his head. He fell to the ground at amazing speed. Only his ring saved him from breaking all of his bones with the impact. Wally´s bubble disappeared and he began to fall but Superman caught him just in time.

"_Kyle! Kyle are you okay_?" Superman shouted as he flew down to where Green Lantern had made a small hole in the ground.

At the same moment Superman put his feet on the ground, someone came from his left and hit him on the jaw with incredible strength.  
The Man of Steel fell down too.

Wally West was having trouble standing up. And he seemed quite scared. Terrified, actually.

There was a tall (very tall!) man dressed in a black suit standing in front of them. He took off the shades he was wearing and revealed a pair of dark eyes that looked bright under the moonlight. He smiled, showing them his teeth that were sharp as a snake´s fangs.

"_You_!" Superman grunted full of anger.

"_Who_?" Kyle asked as he tried to get up. He was still feeling groggy from the fall and the pain on his skull was terrible.

"_Flash. You´ve got to keep your feet on the ground_." the man in black said and he walked towards Wally who did not even move a muscle of his face.

"_Of course you got no feet to keep so... What´s the problem? Cat got your tongue? Don´t you remember me_?"

Superman hurled a punch to the man but he did something with the left hand. A strange movement that made Superman hit the ground with his face.

Magic.

That guy was using magic. Hell. There was not other explanation. Superman tasted his own blood, and that made him feel worse.

The man stood in front of Wally and looked down on him.

"_I really wanted a little more of action. I have been waiting for this moment for years and now that I have you finally, you do not fight back. Now... you are nothing... Just a heap of bones_."

Wally looked straight into the tall man´s black eyes, that were like two black holes on his head. He believed that looking at that man was like looking at the Devil himself.

"_I... I remember you_..."

The man in black laughed out hard and moved his head. Then he closed his fists and suddenly his eyes were red as flames. He showed his teeth again and Wally thought they were even sharper if that was possible.

Superman tried to move, but some kind of invisible force was making it impossible for him. He felt his bones getting heavier and heavier. A magic spell. He was vulnerable to magic.  
Well, how about that?

"_Wally! Run!! Run away_!"

"_I´m going to break your pathetic spine, Flash. This will hurt you a lot more than it will hurt me_." the tall man said as his big hairy hands closed around Wally´s neck.

He smelled like a rusty old book smell when you open it after years of letting it inside a shelf.

Wally was ready to die but then something else came from the sky. Something that seemed like a lighting. Wally was blinded by that light and he hit the ground hard with his back. He heard the voice of the man dressed in black who was as surprised as him.

"_What the hell_?"

Wally heard words in a strange language. They sounded like magic spells.  
Noise, wind, more lightings, the ground was shaking. And a familiar voice. A voice he had not heard for a long time.

"_**Get away from him! Isdighsh Athehtlck Brad-orr**_!"

"_You cannot stop me, Fate!! Sooner or later, we´ll meet again_!"

There was a lighting that came out of somewhere. And silence.

Wally wanted to get up but his muscles did not answer. He felt a wave of nausea invading him and lied back on the floor. Whoever had saved his life also managed to make that man escape.

"_It´s all right now. You´re safe_." the newcomer said and Wally felt a sudden peace in his body before passing out.


	7. Seven Again

"All seven and we'll watch them fall  
they stand in the way of love and we will smoke them all  
with their intelect and their savoir faire   
no one in the whole universe will ever compare  
I am yours now and you are mine  
and together we'll love through all space and  
time so don't cry, one day all seven will die."   
- Prince.  
  
+ + +   
  
"Mars is Heaven."   
- Ray Bradbury.  
  
+ + +  
  
Chapter 7: Seven Again.  
  
Maine.  
  
The man in the black suit appeared from nowhere in the middle   
of the woods. A few birds flew away from the trees nearby making   
funny noises. Maybe they could feel the danger that floated in the wind.  
Th man was feeling tired and angry too. The magical fight had exhausted him.  
He sat on an old branch and passed one of his big hands over his hair.   
He looked at the bleeding wound on his left arm and was even more irritated.   
Maybe he bleed, but he could not die.  
That damned Dr. Fate arrived just in time to save those   
cursed super-heros´ asses.  
  
He had been so close. But then, Fate was his yang in this mess.  
Chaos had contacted this tall man in his hideout in mount Aconcagua and   
he was told they needed him to stop any kind of hero strike against the   
evil forces of Darkseid.  
  
Why him? He did not know but was glad to accept the mission.   
Of course, he asked for something in return. Not that he needed many   
things but this one thing he actually did.   
Chaos dared call him by his old name and that reminded him of many events  
from his long and violent life.  
  
The man in the black suit had many names.   
So many he could not remember all of them.  
  
Varney Sack. Victor Simmons. Vinnie Stewart.   
Valentin Suarez. Vaninno Stilitonne. Valerio Foiez.   
Prince Vlad.   
  
Those were some of the names he used that remained   
in his old memory.  
  
But none of them described as he really was.  
  
He was, after all, a savage.  
And he had been so close to break West´s little neck.  
  
So close.  
  
But this was not about West. This was about Chaos and Order.  
He did not care about Darkseid at all, but he was actually   
helping the evil God because Chaos was on his side.   
Order had Dr.Faith on theirs, after all. A tough enemy of course.  
  
He snapped his fingers and a crystal glass filled with delicious  
red wine appeared on his left hand. He drank it slowly, enjoying   
that sweet taste coming down his throat.   
  
And then he knew. He knew what he needed to destroy those heros.  
After, he knew what was what made them weak.   
Oh, it was so easy! So easy!  
That idea made him laugh out hard, a maniac grin formed on   
his bearded face.  
  
He finished the wine and snapped his fingers one more time.  
  
He was gone.   
  
* * *  
The Batcave.  
  
Bruce´s feet touched the floor at the same time and he stood still.  
Three exact hours of heavy training. He took a towell from a chair nearby   
and walked. He did not want to get cramps. He never had them, but it was  
not the best time to afford them.  
  
He was wearing only a black jogging and the blue towel was over his  
left shoulder. He took air and then, slowly, he let it out. His body was  
sweated so, he could take a shower and then put on a clean Bat-suit.  
He was more comfortable with his suit on.  
  
That thought made him remember the time he and Oliver Queen spent some time   
at the Batcave during "Baby Food Case". Poison Ivy almost killed thousands   
of babies putting poison in their baby food.  
Green Arrow had asked him "Do you always wear that mask?"  
  
"No. Only when I´m being myself." Batman answered.  
  
That was true, you know. Thank God everyone was sleeping, so he could   
train alone without the suit because he did not like the others to see   
him like what he really was.  
  
"A man."  
  
"Who...?"  
  
"Hi, Bruce."  
  
"I must be very tired, Princess. You did actually sneak on me."  
  
Diana was standing in the darkness of the cave, a few feet where Bruce was.  
He liked to train under bright lights though. So, he could see how he was  
improving. He came closer and stared at her. Even though she was partially   
covered with the cave´s own shadows. The only part of her body the lights  
above him made quite visible were both of her legs.   
Those beautiful, firm, legs.  
  
Stop it. Don´t think about that.   
  
"So... Did you end your training?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ah..."  
  
Bruce raised his left eyebrow as he was passing the towel by his face.  
  
"Do you... Do you want to make exercise, Princess? I´ll leave you alone."  
  
"No! I mean... no. I don´t need... I mean... I don´t want to make out...   
I mean to make any kind of exercise... Well, not exactly... Uhhh" she bit   
her lower lip and closed her eyes like an actress on her debut night trying   
to remember the lines of her speech. She opened her eyes back and Bruce   
was still staring at her with no expression on his face. He kinda looked like  
a dog waiting for something to happen.   
But what? He didn´t know. Just something.  
  
"That´s not what I meant."  
  
"What?" Bruce asked and Diana saw that he really did not understand a thing   
about her being there.   
  
The world´s greatest detective had really no idea about...   
She managed to bring a smile to her lips, a nervous smile, but a smile   
at last. Now, she only had to say the right thing and say it slowly.  
  
"Do you know the joke about the elephant and the ant?"  
  
Damn.  
  
Bruce frowned and not said a word for five seconds.  
  
"No." he replied.  
  
"Well... It´s like this: The elephant goes for a stroll along the jungle   
and then he finds this ant on a tree, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"So it says ¨Hya, there! Oh, you´re so small!´, right?" Diana was actually   
making a funny voice, the voice she imagined the elephant should have.  
That made Bruce smirk but she did not noticed it, because her eyes were   
focused on the bats hanging over their heads.   
  
"So the ant replies... Wait. Was it an ant? Or a worm? I´m not so sure   
now..." she chuckled nervously. "Wait... wait... "  
  
Bruce wondered if he had left the Manor´s bar open and if Wonder Woman  
could have found it.  
Diana moaned and covered her face with both hands trying to order  
her thoughts. In fact, she had never been good telling jokes.  
  
Why did she choose -of all people- Batman to tell a joke?  
  
The Princess. The Warrior. Brave, noble, powerful.  
A fearless woman. A Goddess. A messenger of peace.   
  
She was trembling like a leaf.   
  
A paradox.  
  
Bruce did not make a movement. She was drunk. That was it.   
That had to be it. He had never seen her like this.  
  
"Bruce, I´m sorry. You... you... you are smiling?"  
  
He was. A very strange event was taking place. But it lasted only  
two seconds. He was serious again inmediatly. Diana wished she had   
a camara with her, but (of course) she did not.  
  
"What is it, Diana?" his voice was cold as always but there was something   
more in it. Something almost tender.   
  
And that made Diana suddenly mad at him. Yes. He was guilty.   
Guilty of what was happening to her. He had it easy, he did not know,  
he did not feel. Only Diana felt that... that... that SOMETHING in her   
throat choking her. She had to express her feelings to a man who smiled   
once in a decade. Great! Damn him.   
Damned Bat.   
  
"Diana?"  
  
She sighed.  
  
"Nothing... It´s nothing..."  
  
"What is it, Diana? Are you okay?"  
  
"No, I´m not okay. You really don´t care for this..."  
  
"I care about what happens to you." Bruce said and came closer to her.  
  
She opened her blue eyes wide and looked at him with astonishment.  
  
"You DO???"  
  
He frowned again, he was trying to deduce what was wrong with her,  
examining carefully her face.  
  
"I thought you knew how much I care for you."  
  
"Well, to tell the truth, I didn´t!"  
  
Bruce made a few steps back, with caution. He knew an angry Wonder Woman  
would not be easy to stop. And he was not sure he could in that moment.  
It was better not to make her angrier.  
  
"Are you upset for something, Diana?"   
  
"No, I... I just want to..."  
  
"Hey, guys! We´re back! Wally´s here too, although he´s unconcious.  
Oh, we brought a friend too!" Kyle had just appeared on the door.   
"Listen, we have a situation here..."  
  
"I´ll be there in two minutes." Bruce said and Kyle left inmediatly.  
He looked at Diana again.  
  
"Yes, Princess?"  
  
"Nothing... I´ll go and see what´s going on. See you upstairs." Diana said  
with a bitter smile at the same time she was leaving.   
  
Bruce stood a minute there alone wondering.  
He took a deep breath and walked to where the Bat suites hanged.  
Soon, he was being himself. Again.  
  
"What was all that about?"  
  
* * *  
  
New Akrhaaa.   
  
A small city full of parademons situated where once was Las Vegas.  
Of course, it looked more like a sewer than like a city.  
Still, Darkseid´s men loved that place.   
  
Sitting in a bar, there wass a human being. In this place the slaves were   
allowed to walk in the streets. It was Glorious Godfrey´s idea.  
That would allow them to feel like what their life was years ago.  
If they wanted to escape they only had to run into the dessert.  
If the lasers outside the city did not burn them, the Grahvos in the   
wild would devour them.   
  
Humans were prisoners here too. Survivors.   
  
Even though they were allowed to walk free, it was dangerous for them.  
Parademons killed them without mercy even without a motive.  
But it was not allowed to enter in those places reserved only for parademons  
except, of course, they worked there.  
  
A´nbnrtigg was one of that places.  
It was what you would call a bar for parademons.  
Few humans worked there but the bartender was what you could call  
a true alien.  
  
That night something happenned.  
  
There was a man sitting a the bar. Drinking.  
He did not move and did not talk to anyone.   
Even the bartender had not realized he was human.  
A human being that passed unnoticed for a while.  
  
Until it happenned.  
  
"Hey, you!"  
  
The man at the bar, looked over his shoulder at the big, muscled parademon   
standing behind him.   
  
"You´re talking to me?"  
  
"Yes. Your kind are not allowed here. Get out, k´riff."   
  
"Well, I´m not doing anything to upset you. But you just called   
me a k´riff."  
  
"That´s what you are. A k´riff. Now get out before I cut out your  
grehhms and put them in your mouth."  
  
"That´s not very polite of you, General Vlighirr."  
  
The parademons at the place were all looking at the confrontation.  
they wanted to see blood, human blood. Soon it would be over for that  
damned k´riff and they could keep drinking filth, and making noise.  
  
The bartender touched it´s own forehead (well, what looked like a forehead  
in him) and put the big bottle full of water out of danger.  
Fresh water was very expensive there and it did not want to loose it  
because of a fight between a k´riff and a parademon.  
  
The Demon gave a surprised look to the man. How did he know his name?  
A quick movement and he had his whip ready to beat the crap out of  
that insolent k´riff.  
  
But, somehow, the human was ready and he managed to avoid the hit of the whip.  
  
With incredible strenght and speed the man hit Vlighirr on the face three times,   
making him fall down hard on his butt.  
  
It was then when all the parademons in the place, following their killer  
instint, attacked the human who, to their amazement, was not afraid at all.  
  
A man of courage.  
  
They could write that on his tombstone.  
  
* * *  
  
"Vandal Savage." Superman informed Batman as soon as he got into  
Wayne Manor´s inmense kitchen.   
  
"Strange of him to appear now."  
  
"He´s under Chaos´ orders." Dr. Fate said.  
  
Batman looked at his old friend and his voice suddenly had an amused tone.  
  
"Strange of YOU to appear now."  
  
"I was out of the fight until the time came."  
  
"Karma, right?"  
  
"You may call it that." Fate replied. "West will be fine. He´s tired and   
weak. Deshidritated actually. Still, Savage could have killed him."  
  
Wally was upstairs in the guest room. Alfred was taking care of his wounds.  
Still West healed fast. His metabolism was useful when needed.  
  
"Did anyone see you?"  
  
"Savage was waiting for us, but those guards at the prison never knew what   
happenned to them." Kyle chuckled.  
  
"You should rest too. You had quite a fall, Kyle." Superman worried.  
  
"Nah. I´m fine. I´m not a rookie anymore."   
  
"As you wish. What now?"  
  
"We´ll wait and see what happens."  
  
"Wait for what, Batman?" Superman wanted to know.  
  
Batman´s white orbs directed to the breakfast table behind them.  
They all turned back.  
  
There was nothing there except an unopened box of Oreos.  
  
"Man, you have quite a reserve of..." Kyle started to say but he   
suddenly stopped. He had understood. "No..." he said in a hush.  
  
Superman´s expression was of confusion and surprise at the same time.  
  
"You mean... He´s...?"  
  
"Yes. He´ll report anytime."  
  
* * *  
  
A´nbnrtigg was a mess.  
The popular bar where parademons went for almost ten years was destroyed.  
Dead parademons were lying on the floor, their bodies mutilated by their own  
weapons. Those awful creatures had anhilitated themselves trying to kill a  
damn human being who dared confront General Vlighirr. The man, somehow, had   
made himself intangible so lasers passed through him. The parademons had only  
managed to hurt themselves.   
  
Vlighirr moved on the floor. He was in pain, badly wounded, but still alive.  
The man, who was still standing, took him by the neck and made him stand up.  
  
"I need some information, General Vlighirr. And I came here just to take   
it from you." he said without letting the parademon go.  
  
Blood was coming out from Vlighirr´s mouth, and he had a couple of bad cuts   
on his chest. He was breathing with effort and struggling only made the pain  
a lot worse.  
  
"You were in charge of some of the most important packages of prisoners. I  
know you were in charge of one that could be of my interest."  
  
"Drokeate you! -koffff- Are you a -kofff- metahuman? Thousands will die   
for this!"  
  
The man smiled and put his hand on Vlighirr´s forehead. The demon saw with  
astonishment how the human´s face, body and color changed with amazing speed.  
  
"I´m not a meta, Coronel."   
  
"You! You are a damn -kofff- Martian!" the demon spat in his agony.  
  
"I´m the last one, Coronel. Now, relax. Unfortunately, but this won´t hurt  
you at all."  
  
Vlighirr felt how some kind of force entered inside his mind and made him   
think about things he did not want to think about. The martian was making a   
deep scan of his thoughts, made him remember things he had forgotten years   
ago. It was like having all the memories saved in his mind played back fast   
against his will.   
"That´ll be enough, Coronel. I want to thank you. I´ve followed you for a   
month and when, I finally found you, you just came straight to me."  
  
The martian dropped Vlighirr who hit the floor with a moan. The Coronel   
would be dead in just a couple of minutes. J´onn J´onzz, Manhunter from   
Mars, made himself invisible and got out of that dreadful pit. In a few   
seconds he was flying back to Gotham. He took a tiny device from his boot   
and pressed a red button on it.  
  
"This is J´onn. Mission acomplished, Batman. I´ll be there in   
an hour." 


	8. Vandalized

"You may be right   
I may be crazy  
But it just may be a lunatic  
You´re looking for."  
- Billy Joel   
  
+ + +  
  
"Psychopath: A person with an antisocial personality disorder,   
manifested in agressive, perverted, criminal or amoral behavior   
without empathy or remorse."  
- The American   
Heritage Dictionary of   
the English Language.  
  
+ + +  
  
"Please... open the door."  
- Vandal Savage.  
  
+ + +   
  
Chapter 8: Vandalized.  
  
"You, son of a bitch!" Dinah Lance was having a bad day.  
  
You see, she had been hiding for a long time in a bunker-like basement of a  
an old mansion in Montevideo, Uruguay. The city had been destroyed for   
thirteen years, but Dinah found in the ruins a place to call home.   
He had escaped to South America a week after the Dark Battle. She had   
survived it but Oliver Queen, her lover for years, had met his doom under   
the feet of a cruel machine/creature called Peacemaker.  
  
She had been alone since then. No parademon had ever found her.  
Dinah survived and nobody cared about her now. Not even her enemies would  
spend energy looking for her.  
  
But HE had found her.   
  
Somehow, Vandal Savage, entered into her home and attacked her.  
The bastard didn´t say a word. He just appeared and started hitting her  
like a punching ball.  
She had kept in shape and she was still fast and dangerous. But this man   
(was he a man?) was way out of her league.   
  
Why were they fighting? She couldn´t know, and in that moment she did not   
care at all. She was in a fight. It had been a while since she did that.  
  
It was humiliating. Dinah hit him hard but he wasn´t even dazed.  
She, on the contrary, was feeling it. A lot.  
  
"WHY don´t you FALL, you BIG bastard?" she screamed.  
  
Savage hit her hard on the face and she tasted her own blood.  
He took Dinah by her hair and brought her body next to his with their faces   
almost touching each other.  
  
"You´re coming with me."   
  
Dinah spat blood on Savage´s face and kicked him between the legs as hard   
as she could. That he felt.   
  
"Like hell!"  
  
His face expression turned from surprise to intense pain to rage but he did  
not let her go. Vandal Savage´s knee sank violently in Black Canary´s torso   
and she let a cry of pain out when two of her ribs broke. Tears came out   
from her eyes against her will. He gave her a head-butt and Dinah heard   
the sickening sound of her own nose breaking. She almost fainted.  
  
"Now, let´s go, little woman."  
  
He snapped his fingers in front of Dinah´s bruised face.  
They dissappeared.   
  
* * *   
  
"J´onn!"   
  
"Yeah! The big green is back for good!"  
  
"Hi, Kyle, Diana. I´m happy to see all of you alive." The martian said to all   
as he entered the Batcave with a big green smile on his face and the closed  
box of Oreos in his powerful hands.   
  
"Well, I´m happy you survived all this years." Superman put his hand on the   
martian´s shoulder.  
  
"That´s what friends are for." J´onn answered and he set his eyes on Batman.  
"He and I have been... working together on this Darkseid situation."  
  
Aquaman was sitting on a chair reading a short version of "The Three   
Musketeers". He closed the book and walked towards J´onn.  
  
"So, that´s how Batman got all the necessary information to attack those   
demons on their territory. Still, he DID NOT tell us you were ALIVE..."  
  
J´onn could feel sudden emotions moving with violence inside Arthur´s mind.  
  
"I was in a... special mission, Arthur."  
  
"You will inform me about that after you get your rest, J´onn." Batman said   
from his seat in front of the computer panel.   
  
Aquaman turned and walked towards Batman who did not even look at him.  
  
"Inform YOU?"   
  
"Yes. J´onn has found some important data I need."  
  
"And what about US? We´re a team, remember? Earth is hell now and we   
need to trust each other. Haven´t you learnt anything about teamwork?"  
  
Batman´s voice showed no emotion.  
  
"I didn´t know you were teamwork´s number one fan, Arthur."  
  
Aquaman was clearly irritated by this remark because his face turned red   
suddenly.  
  
"Why you..."  
  
"Enough, Arthur. That´ll be enough." Superman put a hand on Aquaman´s   
shoulder to restrain him.  
  
"Actually, Arthur I agree with Batman. It´ll be better if I only inform him  
about what I´ve found out." J´onn explained Arthur. "Trust me. Trust us."  
  
Aquaman growled something they could not understand and went up the stairs  
to the Manor´s pool.  
  
"You really have a gift, Bruce. You´re good at insulting people." Wonder  
Woman had a hint of anger in her voice.  
  
"I didn´t do anything. He exploded alone."  
  
"Must I recall you that Earth is almost destroyed and we only have each   
other? Trust is going to be very helpful, you know."   
  
"Diana..." J´onn tried to interrupt but she was not listening.  
  
Batman´s voice was still showing no emotion.  
  
"You really should not make me remember the state Earth is in. I know   
because I did remain here all these years."  
  
Wonder Woman´s eyes opened wide as she heard Batman´s words. Once he had  
put that damn cowl he had changed. An hour ago, when he was training, Bruce   
was still grim and gritty but there was something in him.   
Something almost tender.   
Diana managed to get a grip on herself. She knew Batman had only   
responded to Arthur´s own paranoia. And she knew she was mad at Bruce,   
but not because of his smart-mouthed remarks or his trust. It was that   
other thing... the thing that made her feel like... like...   
  
Diana turned her back on him and, slowly. went upstairs without saying   
another word.  
  
But then, a sound came from the computer and that made her come down again.  
  
Kyle, J´onn, Clark, Dr. Fate and Batman were all watching the computer panel.  
  
"What is it...?"  
  
"My God..." Superman grunted. "He´s got Black Canary!"  
  
"What?" Diana came closer and watched the screen.   
  
One of Batman´s hidden cameras was transmiting from Gotham´s ruins.  
There, where Arkham Asylum used to be before Darkseid blew it up, Vandal  
Savage stood up. Dinah Lance was at his feet and he was looking at the   
camera with an evil smile. His black eyes were like two black, bottomless   
holes on his face.  
  
"He wants us to go." Batman said.  
  
"How can we say ´no´ to that?" J´onn replied.  
  
"We can´t." Superman frowned.  
  
"I don´t like this at all... It´s a trap." Dr.Fate muttered.  
  
"Of course it´s a trap. But we´ll go anyway." Superman said.  
  
"We´ll not let Dinah die at the hands of that monster." Wonder Woman´s   
voice was full of rage. "I´ll find a way to kill him if I must to."  
  
"Let´s go to work." Batman told the others.   
  
* * *  
  
The "Bat-tank", as Alfred called it, roared on it´s way out of the cave  
and entered the destroyed road to what once was Gotham City. Inside, Batman   
and the Martian Manhunter could talk, safe from unwanted listeners.  
  
"So, she´s alive then."  
  
"Yes. She was alive at least one month ago. The mind scan I did to that  
parademon gave me that information."  
  
"We must know where she could be at this time."  
  
J´onn looked at the small tv monitor in front of them and frowned.  
They could watch their comrades flying outside the tank.  
  
"I hope he´s not listening to us..."  
  
"Don´t worry. I´ve prepared the Batmobile´s armor to block his special   
hearing. That´s why I asked you to ride with me."  
  
"There´s the kid´s problem..."  
  
"I know. That´s not gonna be easy. He could be really dangerous."  
  
"And there´s more..."  
  
Batman´s white orbs stared at J´onn with interest.  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"Remember your theory about a traitor? I think you were right."  
  
"So... you know who...?"  
  
"No. But this parademon whose mind I scanned knew that one of Darkseid´s   
right hands here on earth is... WAS one of us. He never seems to appear   
in public, so not even his name is known. I think only a few demons know   
his identity."  
  
"And we don´t."  
  
J´onn nodded and an expression of sadness appeared on his green face.  
  
"A traitor could explain how Darkseid knew when and how to hit each one  
of us the best he could. Someone who knows us."  
  
And then Batman smiled. He had just realized something.  
  
"Yes... Someone who knows..."  
  
* * *   
  
The place was full of debris, torn walls and dust. A burnt plaque   
made of metal was lying on the floor between rocks and torn cables.  
"Welcome to Arkham Asylum" Was written on big letters.  
  
The confrontation was about to begin.  
  
"Savage!" Superman said landing in front of the villain. Dr. Fate and Kyle   
followed him. "Release her!"  
  
Dinah was at Savage´s feet. Her face was quite hurt and she didn´t make   
a sound. She was semi-concious. That monster had beaten her up good.  
  
"No."  
  
Superman looked at Vandal´s face and saw no remorse, no pity. Whatever  
was human in Savage´s heart had died a long time ago.  
There was nothing remotely human inside him.  
  
"What do you want?" Kyle asked.  
  
"Well, it´s easy. I want... I need you... all of you dead."  
  
"What did Chaos offered you, Savage?"  
  
"None of damn business, Fate."  
  
"You must need that very badly... If that makes you support a creature  
like Darkseid."  
  
"Darkseid does not bother me at all." Savage´s replied and something, a   
great ball of red light, came out of his opened hand and hit Fate hard   
on the chest.  
  
Fate was thrown back and buried under debris and rocks.  
  
"Doc! You, son of a..." Kyle created an green armor around him and hurled  
himself towerds Savage. He managed to kick him as hard as he could on   
the chin. Vandal fell back but did not make a sound.  
  
"Get Dinah out of here, Kyle!" Superman ordered as his eyes were turning red.  
  
With incredible speed, Savage managed to grab Lantern´s leg and used his body  
to remove the dust from the ground around him. Then, Savage released him and   
Kyle crashed into what was left of a wall made of stone.  
  
Vandal was turning when Superman hit him on the face with a blow so powerful   
that it could turn a normal man into dust. Then, Savage was not a normal man   
and said something that Superman could not understand. A lighting came out   
from nowhere and fell directly on Superman.  
  
Magic.   
  
Damn Magic.   
  
Superman stood up and gave Savage a taste of his heat vision. He directed it  
precisely into the villain´s bearded face. Savage did not burn but he was   
in pain. And then, Wonder Woman fell from the sky and her powerful knees   
sank into the monster´s head. That would have killed a buffalo, but the   
villain managed to get up and kick her on the ribs. Wonder Woman was more   
surprised than hurt, and, in the blink of an eye, threw her magic lazo around  
Vandal´s neck. He roared with anger.  
  
Superman got Dinah and moved her away from the fight.  
  
"Fools!" Savage was fighting back with incredible power as Wonder Woman tried   
to hang him up with her lazo. "You cannot kill me! You´ll waste your energies  
in vain and then I´ll execute all of you one by one using my hands!"  
  
"He´s insane!" Kyle came out from under the bricks that had fallen on  
him. "And if it´s true that he´s inmortal, we´re in deep trouble."  
  
Wonder Woman received two blows on the neck and she made two steps back.  
She stood behind Superman who had been watching the fight, without   
interfering. Diana did not like people getting involved in her fights.  
  
"He´s stronger than ever, Superman. I can feel some unknow magic running  
through him."  
  
"We must take him. Fast." Superman replied.  
  
"Fast?" said a voice that seemed to come out from everywhere. "Let ME   
do 'fast', guys."  
  
* * *   
SECOND 0  
  
Savage felt how thousands of fists (Thousands? Really?) hit him hard across  
the face. He felt so much kicks on his stomach he lost count. Someone, or   
something, was really attacking him. In only two seconds more than twenty   
thousand blows had been delivered against the villain.  
  
SECOND 3.   
  
Savage understood.  
  
"West!" he growled.  
  
SECOND 5.  
  
Wally finished kicking Savage´s adam´s apple at least two hundred times and  
ran around the villain hitting him hard in the back, kidneys and between the  
legs. Savage was still surprised.   
  
SECOND 6.  
  
Wally´s blows made Vandal´s nose bleed.  
He jumped and delivered twenty kicks at the villain´s ugly face.   
  
Second 8.  
  
After that punishment, Savage finally started to loose his equlibrium.  
  
* * *   
  
Wally stopped speeding and Savage saw him standing in front of him, dressed  
with a red shirt, jeans and those strange boots. His arms were crossed and   
had a smirk on his face. Vandal remembered their first fight when Wally was   
just a kid. That had obviously changed, but the smart-ass smile was still   
there.  
  
Savage moved towards him but Wally said something that made the villain stop  
on his spot.  
  
"Now, J´onn."  
  
And the punishment began again. This time, whoever was beating Vandal up, was  
invisible. For the first time, in years, Savage knew fear. And he was in   
pain. The blows were even more powerful than Wonder Woman´s.  
  
Then it happenned.   
  
Something seemed to cut the air behind Savage and open it.  
A door behind him. A door to dark, very unpleasant place.  
Screams of pain came out of that damned portal.  
It started to absorb him and panic suddenly appeared on the villain´s eyes.  
  
"I now know what Chaos offered you, Savage." Dr. Fate was standing a few   
feet from the villain. "You are afraid to die. Maybe something could kill   
you. You know you´ll go to Hell if that happens."  
  
"Noooooooooooooooooooooo!" Vandal´s voice sounded like a child.   
He fell to the ground and sank his fingers in the rocks as the door  
behind him opened wide, like a shark´s mouth to devour him.  
But the heroes were not affected by that strange portal´s strong power.  
  
"So, I´ll finally send you to Hell. Alive." Fate said with a hint of disgust  
in his voice. "You were stupid to accept Chaos´ promises. They lie. All the   
time. You should know better."  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"  
  
Vandal Savage, who had walked on Earth for centuries, lost his grip and   
fell into the portal that closed up a second after he had crossed it.   
  
And then he was gone. Like he had never been there.  
  
The heroes looked at each other.  
  
"Fate..." Superman started but he was interrupted.  
  
"I know, Superman. But it was necessary. He was too dangerous."  
  
"And we are at war. He had chosen his side." J´onn said appearing at Wally´s  
side. "Nice team work there, Wally."  
  
Wally smiled. "I´m glad my metabolism still works. I´m a fast healer."  
Then he looked at the place were the portal to Hell had appeared.  
"I really wouldn´t like to be where he is now."  
  
"We are not far from that, Wally." J´onn sounded bitter. "This planet is  
on it´s way to become Hell itself."  
  
"The Third Hell..." Kyle said in a low voice.  
  
"What?" Wonder Woman asked.  
  
"That´s Earth´s nickname now, Princess I thought you knew. You see, Hell   
itself it´s the first one . There, where Savage has gone. Then Apokolips.   
Second hell. And Earth is in for a third place..."  
  
"Creepy." Wally´s chuckle was full of irony.  
  
"War it´s at hand." Wonder Woman expression was of a Warrior.  
  
"Let´s get Dinah to the Batmobile. Batman can help her" J´onn told Green   
Lantern. He used his ring to create a green bed and took here there   
carefully.  
  
Superman looked at Dr. Fate.  
  
"And you? How did you know about Chaos´ promises? How did you know what was   
what made Savage afraid?"  
  
Dr. Fate moved his head.   
  
"I´m lord of order. I knew what Chaos could have offered him because   
I know how Chaos thinks."  
  
"Really? And how they think?"  
  
Fate smiled behind his golden helmet and remarked the obvious.   
  
"The opposite I do, of course." 


	9. Leviathan Rising

"I´m no fortunate son."  
- Credence Clearwater Revival.  
"You´re gonna need a bigger boat."  
- Roy Scheider 'JAWS'  
  
Chapter 9: Leviathan Rising  
  
"Something´s wrong here." Batman was examining Black Canary who   
lied down on an operating table inside the Bat-tank.  
  
"What?" Superman inquired.  
  
"She pretty beaten up, but it´s not that what worries me."  
  
"What´s that then?" Kyle worried.  
  
"Savage was defeated way too easily. Use your X ray vision on her.  
Check her bones, look for something unusual."  
  
Superman nodded and began the scan.  
  
Wonder Woman came closer to Batman and looked at him with anger.  
  
"Vandal gave me a hard time. He really had my death on his eyes.  
We defeated him."  
  
"I´m not so sure."  
  
J´onn frowned.  
  
"What do you mean, Batman?"  
  
"Savage wanted us to come here. We did. He had Black Canary, but he did not  
really cared about her. And he was alone. He knew he was fighting against   
powerful foes like Dr. Fate and Superman. What was his point?"  
  
"Kill us?"  
  
"I don´t think so, Kyle."  
  
"Fate sent him to Hell. I don´t think he intended him to do that." Wonder   
Woman was touching Dinah´s hand, clearly worried about her friend.  
  
"Me neither. But it´s strange."  
  
"You´re saying there´s something else?" Superman asked without stopping the   
scan on Dinah.  
  
"Maybe."   
* * *  
The Fortress of Abargruihn   
  
The portal from hell opened like an obscene wound in the air and Vandal   
Savage himself came out of it. He was angry, and his clothes were shredded.  
He seemed to have been battling a lion. He passed a hand over his dark hair   
and faced the traitor who was waiting for him.  
  
"It took me an hour to get out of that place. You could have sent some help."  
  
The traitor smiled.  
  
"You knew how to get out of hell. You told me that´s an easy spell to cast."  
  
"Yes. But it´s not so easy when you got a whole horde of demons chasing you."  
  
The traitor chuckled and drank from a black glass full of wine. He offered   
one to Savage, but Vandal declined it with a quick movement of his big hairy  
hand.   
  
"Did they got her?" the traitor asked.  
  
"Yes, yes. It all worked out as planned."  
  
"Great. How many of them are?"  
  
"At least six. Superman, Wonder Woman, West, Green Lantern, Dr. Fate and   
Martian Manhunter. I saw no one else."  
  
"Hmmm. Six. Still we must not understimate them."  
  
"Talk for yourself. I´m done now. I want what you promised. Chaos said I  
could ask you for it."  
  
"Oh, yes. The book, right?" The traitor handed him a bag.  
  
"Yes. The book." Savage opened the bag and looked inside. He seemed  
satisfied with what he saw because an evil grin appeared on his face.   
He closed it and prepared to leave the place.  
  
"Interesting reading, there. Full of spells and stuff. It´s signed by a guy   
named John Constantine. Why do you need that for?" the traitor was clearly   
having fun with Savage. He knew the old cro-magnon wouldn´t answer.   
No one ever dared that before, but Savage was not stupid. He would not   
fight the traitor.  
  
"None of your damn business. I´ve done my part. Now I´m done with you."  
  
"Fine. But don´t go far. Darkseid might need you soon."  
  
"Go to hell."  
  
"You´ve been there first." The traitor replied with a smirk on his face.  
  
A second later Vandal Savage vanished and the traitor started to laugh.  
His laughter was heard all over the fortress of Abargruihn and even  
the parademons who roamed there felt a chill running through their spines.  
  
* * *  
  
"How´s she, Alfred?" Diana was waiting outside one of the many rooms in   
Wayne Manor  
  
The english butler smiled to the Amazon like a father to her daughter .  
  
"Don´t worry, miss Diana. Miss Dinah is a strong woman. She needs rest   
and Master Bruce made a fine job on patching her wounds."  
  
"Thank Hera. Do you think I could...?"  
  
"See her? Oh, not yet, miss Diana. She is asleep and silence would be good  
for her."  
  
Diana remained silent but, for her expression, it was obvious she wanted to   
say something. Maybe something that embarrassed her.  
  
"Is there a problem, Miss Diana?"  
  
"Well..." Diana replied unsure.  
  
"You can tell me. I´m quite good at keeping secrets." Alfred said without   
loosing the smile from his british face.  
  
"It´s about Bruce..."  
  
"You have feelings for him."  
  
Diana´s eyes opened wide and her mouth fell open.  
  
"Wha...? No! I mean, No... How...?" she tried to explain herself without  
result. Then she moved her head, accepting her defeat.  
  
"Yes. He´s important to me."  
  
"Have you tried... to tell him?"  
  
"Yes, but then I finished telling him jokes. I was nervous. He did not even   
smile, Alfred. And I don´t understand how he does to make me nervous."  
  
"Master Bruce is not an easy person, Miss Diana. But he´s a human being   
behind all those defences he has built up for himself."  
  
"I don´t know what to do, Alfred. I feel so stupid."  
  
Alfred smiled again and his eyes were bright.  
  
"You´ll find the time and the place. And things will be fine, Miss Diana.  
Trust me."  
  
"Alfred, has he ever loved someone?"  
  
"Master Bruce is quite capable for love, Miss Diana. You should have realized  
it"  
  
Diana did not understand at all the comment but she nodded.  
The butler walked away to continue his work on other places of the manor.  
  
"Alfred...?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Diana?"  
  
"How did you know I had... feelings for Bruce.?"  
  
Alfred raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I´m british, Miss. I know quite a lot about keeping feelings inside."  
  
* * *  
  
The next day.  
  
The west gate of the fortress of Abargruihn opened. A big cube made of steel came out of  
there, expeled into the air. It flew for miles and fell into the ground   
seventy miles away from the ruins of Gotham City.  
  
Inside, the creature growled and, fully awake hit the wall of steel that  
kept it trapped. It came out of the steel prison and looked around.  
It snarled and moved it´s fists up in the air like a modern-age King Kong.  
  
"Muhttrplssssssssssssssssss!" it growled.  
  
Then it seemed to smell something on the air. Something that seemed like a  
monstrous smile formed on it´s cruel face.   
  
With incredible force it´s feet hit the ground and then it got away from   
there with an amazing leap.  
  
If you were there, you could look at the sky and feel it.  
You´d feel it in your bones.  
You´d smell it on the air.  
You´d just know it.  
  
The monster had returned.  
  
Like an inmense Leviathan, wherever it passed death was summonned.  
  
Doomsday was back.  
  
* * *  
  
J´onn felt it first. He made a strange movement with his head, like someone  
had just hit him there with a big heavy rock. That made everyone in the cave   
look at him.  
  
"Oh." the martian said with a worried look in his eyes. He put a hand on his   
green forehead.  
  
"It can´t be..." Superman´s superhear was listening to something far away.  
But that something was approaching.  
  
"What´s going on?" Kyle inquired.  
  
"Everyone get ready." Superman ordered. "We have trouble."  
  
"What´s...?"  
  
"Doomsday." Batman said as he walked down the stairs putting on his gloves.  
  
"Your cameras have already spotted him?" Superman asked.  
  
"Yes. Whoever has sent him against us, does not know this cave exists but  
he knows we´ll appear to stop the monster."  
  
"You´re suggesting we don´t go?" Arthur was preparing himself for battle.  
  
"No. I´m saying we must be careful. Someone is trying to play with us."  
  
"Doomsday, man... oh... man..."  
  
"Something wrong, Kyle?" Diana asked.  
  
"No, Princess. Just remembering a line from one of my favorite movies..."  
  
"What´s that?"  
  
"You´re gonna need a bigger boat."  
  
"Titanic?"  
  
"No, JAWS. It means we´re going to bite a lot more than what we can chew..."  
  
"Let´s go, people!" Superman ordered.  
  
Seconds later the cave was empty. And in the room upstairs, Dinah Lance had   
opened her eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
Back on his lair at mt. Aconcagua Vandal Savage was ready.  
  
The old Merlyn book was finally on his hands.   
The book that had the secrets Savage had been looking for centuries.   
The book with the answers to all his questions. The book that had the spell   
that would give him the key to save his soul from eternal damnation when   
the end of the world would claim his life.  
  
It was signed by the late John Constantine himself.  
  
Savage opened the book and searched through the pages.   
Then he felt it.  
Something on the back cover, like a small grape.  
He touched it and turned the book to see it.  
  
It was a trap.   
The book exploded on his hands and Savage felt how his body, that   
had survived for thousands of years, suddenly was destroyed in seconds.  
An antilife bomb. The traitor had placed a small antilife bomb on the book.  
  
Savage let a out a terrified scream and cursed in an unknown language until   
his face was nothing but a scarred skull.  
  
It took him exactly twenty seconds to die.  
  
And so, after so many centuries, Vandal Savage was finally gone. 


	10. Leap Of Faith

Monster: An imaginary or legendary creature, such as a centaur or Harpy,   
that combines parts from various animal or human forms.   
A creature having a strange or frightening appearance.   
An animal, a plant, or other organism having structural defects or   
deformities.   
Pathology A fetus or an infant that is grotesquely abnormal and usually   
not viable.   
A very large animal, plant, or object.   
One who inspires horror or disgust.  
- The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language.  
  
"Now your legs were heaven, your breasts were the altar  
Your body was the holy land  
You shouted "jump", but my heart faltered  
You laughed and said, "Baby, don't you understand?"  
  
It takes a leap of faith to get things going  
It takes a leap of faith, you gotta show some guts  
It takes a leap of faith to get things going  
In your heart you must trust"  
- Bruce Springsteen.  
"Mhhttrpplssss!"   
- Doomsday.  
Chapter 10: Leap Of Faith  
  
Imagine you have been killed more than a thousand times.   
Now imagine that your first memory is your own death. And that very first   
memory repeats itself for more than twenty years.   
And pain repeats as well.  
  
How would you see life then?  
  
Do you think that if you were killed one time and then brought back to life   
only to die again in a cruel way (and you could keep memories from that) you  
would be capable of loving, of caring, of respecting life itself?  
  
You think so?  
  
Think again.  
  
There, standing like one mythical titan, there´s a creature that knows death.   
And it knows hate. Hate it´s the only thing it has felt since it´s primitive   
mind began to work.  
  
And that was a long time ago.  
  
The only thing that can calm it´s rage (it´s never ending rage) is   
destruction, the only feeling it can feed is it´s own hate.  
Death is the ultimate goal for this creature.  
  
Maybe it´s not what it used to be but it´s still powerful enough to be a big  
problem for the few individuals that are about to face it.  
  
One of them, the greatest of them all, died once under the monster´s bony   
claws, under it´s killing rampage. He fought the killing rage of the creature  
until they both fell dead in the very heart of Metropolis.  
  
And this man, you see, he´s afraid of dying a second time, of course.   
He remembers death, he has known it. But he respects life, he loves it and  
embraces it.   
  
Superman knows life it´s everything in this universe. It´s the ultimate gift.  
  
And he has faith on himself.  
Faith in this situations is everything.  
  
The monster is life´s destroyer. The Man of Steel is life´s champion.  
  
Take a deep breath and be ready.  
  
Face it.  
  
Doomsday is here.   
  
* * *  
  
Doomsday was standing only a few miles from the west entrance to Gotham.  
They found him destroying some trees like an out of control bulldozer.  
  
When they appeared, the monster froze and looked at them for a long time  
without showing any intention to attack.  
  
The heros kept a safe distance between them and the creature.  
  
"What now, people?" Kyle was thinking if his ring would work on that   
Leviathan.  
  
"Doomsday is again a mindless beast. But he seems to remember something of   
the time he was smarter."  
  
"Are you afraid, Kal?" Wonder Woman wanted to know.  
  
"Yes. This monster ravaged Metropolis and killed me. Every time I see it, I   
feel... I remember the power of it´s blows, the hate in it´s eyes."  
  
"Maybe I can attack it... with telephathy."  
  
"Are you sure, J´onn? That could exhaust you... and we need you to fight it  
in case we are short of power..." Wally said.  
  
J´onn frowned.  
  
"First Savage, now this beast. Batman is right. Whoever is behind this is  
having fun with us..."  
  
"Whoever? I thought we knew who... Darkseid, isn´t it?" Aquaman´s voice had   
a hint of not trusting J´onn very much in that moment.  
  
"Well, maybe..."  
  
"Batman knows something, and you too! You are still keeping secrets from us,   
J´onn. We are a team, dammit! Let the paranoid bat believe what he wants!  
We need you to tell us what´s going on! We trust you, you know!"  
  
"I trust in Batman´s instincts, Arthur. I suggest you do the same."  
  
"His ego is bigger than his instincts, J´onn." Wonder Woman said with a   
strange tone on her voice.  
  
The martian looked at the Amazon and Diana felt how her feelings for Bruce  
were suddenly exposed to the Martian´s mind. She cursed herself but, if J´onn  
had discovered her, he did not show it. Instead he directed his eyes back to   
the monster.  
  
"I´m open to suggestions..."  
  
The monster moved a couple of steps on their direction. It moved slowly,   
like feeling all of it´s own weight with every step. Doomsday closed it´s   
little eyes and made a sound with it´s awful mouth. Maybe he was laughing.  
  
"Doomsday... Oh, my God. My God..."  
  
"Show some guts, Kyle."  
  
"Did you know that true courage exists when you know your fears and you   
face them, Wally?"  
  
Flash looked at Green Lantern and closed his eyes.  
  
"Well, now´s your time to face it, old friend."  
  
Kyle took a deep breath. He was sweating a lot and he noticed his hands   
shaking. He would not be defeated, not by that thing. Not by a mindless,  
drooling monster.   
  
Piece of cake. Right.  
  
Think about that, Kyle.  
Think positive.  
  
Hal Jordan would have never been afraid of that monster.  
  
That killer beast.  
  
Damn. Damn it.  
  
"I´m afraid, Wally."  
  
The red racer put his gloved hand on Kyle´s shoulder and smiled.  
  
"Me too, pal. Me too. But I promise you this: we will not die today."  
  
* * *  
  
"They are all going to die, Batman." Dinah Lance said as she walked down the   
stairs with uneasy steps. She was wearing a long, white gown.  
Her face was full of bruises and she was clearly still in pain.  
Batman was sitting in front of the computer watching the League in action.  
  
"You shouldn´t be up, Dinah."  
  
Dinah did not pay attention to Batman´s commentary and looked at the screen.  
  
"Doomsday..."  
  
She trembled and almost fell but Batman got up and got her.  
Dinah put her head on the bat´s big chest and closed her eyes.  
  
"Dinah, please go back to bed..."  
  
"No... You don´t understand... That man humilliated me, Batman...  
He hurt me as no other foe has ever hurt me..."  
  
"You´re safe now, and Savage is not a foe, he´s a monster. Sit down."  
  
"He did something to me... something... I don´t remember..."  
  
Batman was suddenly very interested. He took her by the shoulders and  
he noticed they were strong but not as they used to be. Of course, Dinah  
was not a young woman anymore and none of them were getting younger.  
  
"What? Dinah you must tell me what he did to you. It´s very important..."  
  
"I... don´t know... I came down here to tell you about it..." she said weakly  
and coughed.  
  
"All right. Don´t worry I´ll find out what he did to you. Now, please try   
to rest..."  
  
* * *  
  
"MHHHTRPLSSSSSSS!"  
  
The monster moved towards them and a deep growl came out of it´s drooling   
mouth. Each one of it´s steps made the ground beneath their feet tremble.  
  
"He keeps saying that..." Superman muttered.  
  
"He´s coming!" Kyle informed.  
  
Dr. Fate appeared suddenly from behind the monster and directed an amazingly  
fast blow to it´s neck. Then he jumped and flew up and away.  
  
"Now!" Superman ordered.  
  
Wonder Woman and J´onn attacked first and each one delivered two hits on the   
monster´s huge gray body. Diana hit him in it´s bony "ears" hoping to make  
hell with it´s equilibrium. J´onn directed his blows straight to the   
creature´s gut.  
  
"Ha!" Doomsday laughed.  
  
"Great Hera!"  
  
It grabbed Diana´s leg and made her pass over it´s head. Diana´s face met  
the ground with a violent fall. Doomsday proceeded to sank it´s left foot  
on the amazon´s back.  
  
Diana did not make a noise.  
  
J´onn made himself invisible and the monster inmediatly forgot about him.  
The creature turned and looked straight into Superman´s eyes.  
  
"Hahahahahahahahahahaha!"  
  
"We meet again."  
  
The last son of Krypton flew as fast as he could and hit Doomsday hard on  
it´s face with his knees. Doomsday fell on it´s back. Superman directed his  
hits to the creature´s neck, trying to make some permanent damage.  
The man of tomorrow knew he could not have any pity with that monster.   
  
He broke contact and flew straight up. Doomsday seemed surprised with that.   
It was then when J´onn reappeared on the monster´s left side.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Urrrm?"  
  
Doomsday received eight hits in a couple of seconds and, when the martian   
stopped, it saw a great chance to strike back. But he could not do that   
because Superman´s feet hit on the creaturés bony head with the power and   
speed of an express train. J´onn made himself invisible again. The force of   
the hit buried Doomsday up to his chest but the damn thing managed to punch  
Superman hard on his knee.  
  
"Argh!"  
  
Superman focused his heat vision on the monster´s head and let out a   
powerful blast from his eyes. The thing growled with both, pain and rage.  
  
The last son of Krypton managed to fly up at the same time Flash kicked  
Doomsday´s head five hundred times in just one second and a half.   
  
"Thiswillteachyoutoattackusyouuglysonofa..."  
  
Doomsday´s right hand tried to grab the red runner but he was already away.  
Dr. Fate threw some kind of strange rays from his hands that hurt the   
monster and disoriented it.  
  
It snarled and began to come out of the ground.  
  
In the air J´onn reappeared and looked at Clark.  
  
"Do you think he´s saving something for us?"  
  
"He´s not even started, J´onn..." Superman answered with a bitter smile "He   
will not stop until killing us all."  
  
"Oh, Clark..." Diana said as she came up behind them "Have a little faith."  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Just tired, Dinah. Please go back to your room."  
  
"You look sick... have you been under too much pressure lately, Bruce?"  
  
There was a hint of something in the commentary but Batman could not discover  
it. His mind had trouble thinking. For the last day he had been feeling   
tired, exhausted.  
  
"I´m fine. Don´t worry."  
  
"That´s why you´re here? Because you don´t feel very well? That´s why you  
are still trying to figure out how to defeat that thing even from your   
Batcave?"  
  
Batman felt the sting of alert on his mind. Something was not right.  
  
"Why don´t you relax?"  
  
Batman´s white orbs stared at Dinah. She was not intimidated.  
Something about her... something inside of her.  
Unknown, but too bloody familiar.  
And something inside her had just changed.  
  
"Why don´t you have a few laughs?" Dinah said with a voice that was not her  
own. Still, it was a voice Batman had heard before.  
  
"Wha..."  
  
Dinah came closer and an evil grin appeared on her face.  
Batman was still not sure about what was happenning.  
He was tired, maybe sick and, even though his mind had already found an  
explanation, he was not ready to do something about it.  
He tried to move but it was impossible.  
  
"Yes. Laugh! Laugh like mad, little man!"  
  
There was nothing to laugh about. And then it began.  
Batman felt it, like a wave of heat coming up from the bottom of his stomach,  
climbing up his throat and making him... making him...  
  
Laugh.  
  
He laughed like he never had in his whole, lonely, sad and dark life.  
  
And that hurt. He felt pain on his ribs as he laughed his guts out like an   
insane clown. "Aproppiate" Bruce thought as he tried to get away, but he   
tripped and fell to the floor heavily. He was really weak. He had not   
foreseen that.  
  
"She loves you, you know. You´re pathetic. You did not realize that." Dinah  
said with a creepy voice. But that was not Dinah. Not at all.  
  
That was someone else.  
  
And the last thing Batman saw before passing out was Dinah´s evil grin that  
made him remember an old foe, dead many years back.   
  
* * *  
  
Pariah stopped in the center of what used to be Metropolis. He looked around  
and saw no one. Only debris, destruction and silence surrounded him. He was  
used to lonelyness but this time there was something different.  
He went to Metropolis because he was compelled to...  
  
There was a stormy sky above but it was silent. No thunder, no lightings,   
no rain. Maybe that was no regular storm at all.  
  
What then?  
  
What was he waiting for?  
  
He felt strange, like watched. Someone or something was watching him, and   
that was for sure. Pariah had felt like that since he entered the ruins of   
Metropolis. But now, this someone was near. And ready to show himself.  
  
Ready for attack.   
  
"Welcome to Earth, Pariah..." the voice said behind him.  
  
Pariah turned and faced his stalker. He closed his fists with anger.  
  
"You."  
  
"Nice of you to remember me. I know what you´re thinking of." the traitor   
said with a sarcastic tone at the same time he walked towards him with   
absolute calm. "You´re thinking: 'Hey, this was one of us, one of the good   
guys. Why is he doing this?´, right?"  
  
"Why?" Pariah asked.  
  
"Two reasons: The first one, the end of the world is at hand. And I´d rather  
be on the winning side... and the second one..."  
  
The traitor hit him hard on his face and knocked Pariah out cold.  
  
"You know, being good makes you accomplish nothing. Sweet dreams, pal."  
  
The traitor took the knocked out Pariah and placed him over his shoulders.  
A minute later he was flying back to the fortress with his precious cargo.   
He even had time for a long, nice and crazy laugh.  
  
* * *  
  
Nightmare. Batman remembered in his dream the events of the Dark Battle, many   
years ago. He saw again how Dick was murdered without pity by those cruel   
parademons. He saw Oliver Queen die. He heard Animal Man´s screams of pain   
as a Peacemaker cut him to pieces. Explosions, blood, pain.  
That battle was a real carnage. There was a villain fighting on Darkseid´s   
side, the only villain that had survived the Arkham Asylum´s explosion.  
A very powerful foe. Still, Hawkman managed to impale him with a spear.  
That villain was dead. Or so they thought.  
  
That villain was there, in the cave with him, Batman realized as he regained  
conciusness.  
  
He heard Dinah talk to herself with a voice that was not her own.  
  
"Now I only have to send the signal on the right frequency so the hordes of   
Parademons will locate this place. Master will be pleased with me..."  
  
"Dinah!" Batman shouted with a gasp.  
  
Dinah turned and looked at the Dark Knight with an awful smirk.  
  
"So, up so soon, Batman? Dinah´s not here anymore, you know."  
  
Batman got up even though he was weak, his legs felt like jello and he had  
the sensation he would throw up his dinner. Not that he had eaten very much,  
but the sensation was there.   
  
"Dinah!" he repeated.  
  
"Dinah´s mind is almost obliverated, Batman. I own this body now, since that  
damn hawk destroyed mine."  
  
"Psycho... Psychopirate..."  
  
Dinah made a funny reverence moving her hands with exageration.  
  
"At your service, caped crusader."  
  
Dinah jumped in the air, kicked Batman´s head and fell back standing on her   
feet. Bruce managed to avoid the whole force of the kick but he still felt   
it. He tasted his own blood.   
  
"How..."  
  
"How did I survive? Easy. They kept my brain alive, my mind was waiting for   
a new host. Darkseid knew that my power was necessary to destroy you all,   
damned super beings. You´re so sensitive... You know, I could almost taste   
Wonder Woman´s love for you..."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Dinah attacked Batman with a fast karate move but he managed to avoid   
the blow and punched her on the stomach. She fall back, laughing.  
A moment later she was facing him again. She/He... Psycopirate.  
  
"Well, they needed a magician and Vandal Savage had the wonderful idea to  
choose this body, the one of a friend you all trust, to place my mind and my   
powers. I´m not complaining, see. Women live a lot more than men..."  
  
"Dinah... I know you are in there..." Batman´s voice was almost a beg.  
  
"Oh, enough. I want you to feel a little terror. Yes, terror will be just   
fine for you. Feel the terror, Batman!!!"  
  
Batman fell down on his knees, covered his face with his cape and let out   
a terrified moan. He trembled.  
  
"Yes, feel the fear. Terror, Batman. Terror!"  
  
"Don´t... tell me... about... terror... Psychopirate."  
  
"Wha...? How?"  
  
"You don´t know anything about fear..."  
  
"You can´t..."  
  
Batman stood up and, after looking into his white eyes, Psychopirate felt   
true horror.   
  
"Now, meet fear."  
  
Batman jumped towards him/her as the Psycopirate let out a scream full  
of panic.  
  
* * *  
  
"So, what do we do now?" Kyle asked as he kept Doomsday trapped in a big   
green bubble. "This is not going to work for long... This creature has an   
incredible power of will..."  
  
"I think I got an idea." Dr. Fate answered, while he kept shooting strange  
rays of light from his hands that hit around the bubble with no inmediate   
effect.  
  
"What´s that?" Superman inquired.  
  
"From what you´ve told me, Doomsday is a creature that evolves.   
But I think the deal is in it´s primitive mind. I think I can put it to   
sleep in a permanent way."  
  
"Why do I sense there´s a but coming up..." Flash said.  
  
"But I need it to be knocked out... Superman... Doomsday must be unconscious.  
Understand?"  
  
"That´s going to be hard work, Fate but I think we can manage to do that..."   
  
One bony fist broke out from the green bubble´s side.   
  
"HA!" the monster snarled.  
  
"He´s escaping. We must act quick!" Arthur worried.  
  
"Diana, J´onn, Arthur and me will hit the monster on it´s head together.  
Flash be ready to create a vortex around him as soon as you see him fall.   
This is not going to be easy, people. Do it right!" Superman ordered.   
  
"Right." Flash answered. "Or we are dead."  
  
"Yes. Or we are dead. Fate, I hope you are ready. Kyle when I tell you,  
you let Doomsday out of the bubble."  
  
"Whatever you say, Big Blue." Kyle said with a nervous voice.  
  
Doomsday´s foot came out of the bubble. A snarl of triumph out of It´s   
throat. The damned beast was getting free.  
  
"Now, Kyle!"  
  
Kyle let the shield down and Doomsday was surprised, but only for a second.  
It saw how four of the most powerful beings on earth came flying straight   
to it´s face.   
Doomsday smiled.  
  
"Mhhhhhhhhtrplssssssssssssssss!" 


	11. Final Flight

_Say you stand by your man_

Tell me something I don't understand 

You said you love me and that's a fact

Then you left me, said you felt trapped

Well some things you can explain away

But my heartache's in me till this day

Did you stand by me

No, not at all

Did you stand by me 

_No way_ " - The Clash

CHAPTER 11: FINAL FLIGHT

Dinah Lance ran into the caves inside the Batcave. The tunnels in that  
place were a labyrinth and the only person who knew how to get out there  
was chasing her.

Of course, she was not Black Canary anymore, she was now invaded by  
the evil mind of Psychopirate, a villain who had the power to control   
emotions. He died in the Dark Battle but Darkseid rescued his mind somehow.

Then, the late Vandal Savage had used a magic spell to introduce the Pirate´s  
mind into Dinah´s. 

Psychopirate was supposed to find the place where the heroes were hiding  
and send a signal to the forces of Darkseid on earth. That would allow the  
traitor to find them. But he had messed up and was trapped in a cave, in  
the body of a woman with the world´s greatest detective coming after him.

Or her.  
_  
"Pirate!" _the voice roared behind him "You can´t get away from me!"

"_Yes, I will_!" Psychopirate said with Dinah Lance´s sweet voice and kept  
running into the darkness of the cave. "_You can bet your damn ass I will_!"

Dinah´s hand touched her forehead and stood up for a few seconds.

A drop of blood came out of her nose.

She kept running. The message had been sent.  
Doomsday fell to the ground as it received the impact right on the middle  
of it´s monstrous face. Four punches at the same time from earth´s most powerful beings: Superman,

J´onn J´onnz, Wonder Woman and Aquaman. Flash made his move. He ran around the monster at full speed creating a vortex. Doomsday was elevated into the air and then fell down with violence at the same time Wally stopped speeding.

"_Now, Fate_!" Superman shouted.

Dr. Fate flew over the monster and, from up there, he pointed one finger to the creature. A green beam of light came out of Fate´s gloved hand and directed itself to Doomsday´s bony nose.

The creature opened it´s eyes for a second, had a convulsion, and then, it stopped. Drool came out of it´s mouth. It did not seem to be breathing.

"_Wow... Is it dead_?" Flash asked.

"_No. It´s very, very asleep. I´ve put it´s mind to rest. In a permanent way.  
Maybe forever. But it´s not dead_."

"_That was too easy. Way too easy_." Green Lantern said.

"_Actually, it´s not. A lot of power was needed to cast that spell,  
Kyle. It works according to who is going to receive it_..." Dr. Fate replied.

"_Do you mean_...?" Wonder Woman began.

"_Yes. I´m almost powerless now. What I did on Doomsday drained my energies_."

"_This monster it´s not what it once was. Whoever se_nt it knew we could  
stop it." Superman said and then turned to J´onn. "_Can you make a mind scan  
of whoever is behind this_?"

"_No. Darkseid has found a way to block my powers. I cannot reach Darkseid´s  
agent on earth_."

"_Why?_" Arthur asked.

J´onn took a deep breathe.

"_I don´t know. I do not have a clue how he did it_."

"_Uhhh... Gentlemen_?" Wonder Woman said behind them.

"I hear it too... Something is coming." Superman said.

The night was clear but, suddenly, a big shadow came over them and the moon  
was obscured by a lot of little black dots.

It was a vision that could drive any normal man crazy.

But those were not normal men.

"_Parademons_!" Green Lantern warned.

Arthur looked up and his mouth opened against his will.

"_Lots of them, thousands_..."

"_They are coming..._" Flash said.

Superman raised a hand and made Wally shut up. He was listening.  
The monster were flying but to towards them. They were going to  
a place nearby. But where?

"_No, they are not coming here. They are going to the north_..."

"_Wayne manor._.." J´onn said.

"_Bruce!_" Diana yelled.

"_Let´s go_!" Superman ordered.

"_What about Doomsday_?"

"_Leave him_!"

Batman fell over Dinah and they both rolled on the ground of that dark cave. Bruce felt the rocks´ hard kiss on his back but did not make a sound.

"_It´s over, Pirate! Give it up!_"

"_Too late, bat-freak. They have tracked me down." Dinah´s nose was bleeding hard. "They´ll be here any minute. You´re dead_."

"_Dinah! Please answer me!" Batman yelled grabbing her by the back of his neck_.

Suddenly, Dinah was there, looking at him. Fear on her eyes, her voice almost a gasp.

"_I´m sorry, I´m sorry, I´m sorry..."_

"_Dinah! Dinah_!"

"_I can´t keep him blocked for much time, Batman. Listen, the Parademons are  
coming. Pirate used his power to alert the traitor. They are coming. You must get away! Please_!"

She stood up and ran away.

"_Dinah, you can beat him. You are coming with me_!"

"_No, I´m dangerous. He´s already in my mind. I can´t... can´t_..."

She stopped and grabbed her head. She wouldn´t keep the pirate away for too long.

**Let... me... OUT, WOMAN**!

"_Dinah, come on_!" Batman moved a few steps carefully towards her.

Dinah looked at Bruce with a strange expression on her eyes.

"_There´s only one way to end with him forever_..."

"_What? What are you saying_?" Bruce tried to come closer but she got away with violence.

"I_´m sorry, Bruce. I really am. Please, don´t blame yourself. I know how you  
are always blaming yourself_." A brief smile appeared on her face.

She was saying goodbye.

"_Dinah_!"

Dinah Lance jumped in the air with grace, she seemed to float, to fly like she did when she was young. For a moment Bruce saw her like that: As a beautiful, brave girl. It was a second that lasted forever.

She hit the ground heavily with her back and a long sharp rock impaled her  
from side to side. She did not make a noise, not even when blood came out  
from her mouth. She closed her eyes.

Her face showed peace. Bruce was not sure he had ever seen that before on her.

Black Canary was dead.

"_Dinah... Dinah_..." Batman´s voice sounded like broken glass.

And there, in the darkness of his cave, where no one could see him, the Dark Knight cried.


	12. Judas Revealed

Author´s note: I´m sorry for taking such a long time on updating the story. But chapters 1-6 and 10 & 11 have been corrected. Also I´ve (finally) included the label "Book 1" on the first chapter. Chapter 13 & 14 (coming up soon, I promise) will close this first "book" of "The Third Hell" and there will be more trouble coming up in chapter 15, when book 2 begins.   
  
If you want to know how long this crap is gonna be I can answer you right now: I don´t know =P. It will be over when JLA decide it. But I think they wanna go on for awhile. Thank you to all people who liked the story and to people who did not. And thank you for telling me what you think. I´m trying to correct ALL my   
  
grammar and spelling mistakes but it´s not easy to be precise because english is not my native language. OK, enough is enough. Let´s go and see what happens to these people.  
  
Shall we?  
  
--------------------------------------------------------  
  
"In hope to merit heaven by making earth a hell.  
  
Such partings break the heart they fondly hope to heal.   
  
He who ascends to mountain-tops shall find   
  
The loftiest peaks most wrapt in clouds and snow;   
  
He who surpasses or subdues mankind   
  
Must look down on the hate of those below."   
  
- Lord Byron  
  
*   
  
"Simon's head was tilted slightly up. His eyes could not break away and the Lord of the Flies hung in space before him.   
  
"What are you doing out here all alone? Aren't you afraid of me?"   
  
Simon shook.   
  
"There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And I'm the Beast."   
  
Simon's mouth labored, brought forth audible words. "Pig's head on a stick."   
  
"Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!" said the head. For a moment or two the forest and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with the parody of laughter. "You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why the things are what they are?"   
  
- William Golding "The Lord Of The Flies"  
  
*  
  
"Now I´m Soul singing, soul singing."   
  
- The Black Crowes.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 12: Judas Revealed.  
  
The ground trembled. The dry trees shaked with a will of their own and the roots came to the surface moving like the long arms of an impossible octopus. Doomsday lied down like a corpse. It was not dead, but close: Dr. Fate used apowerful spell to put it in a magic permanent coma. Still, as usual, you could never know. Branches and roots covered the body completely in a few minutes. Then, earth under it roared and started to open like the mouth of a gigantic hidden beast devouring another. As Doomsday´s body made it´s descent under the ground, roots and branches covered it whole, making it look like a strange and gigantic mummy. The body kept going down, but the land in the surface closed after a short while. You could never say a Leviathan had lied on that spot.  
  
Doosmday was gone.  
  
Burial done.  
  
* * *  
  
ORDER  
  
Hard. Times. Are. Coming.  
  
Yes.  
  
Death. Anhilitation.  
  
Darkness.  
  
He´s. Going. To. Die.  
  
Yes.  
  
Yes.  
  
Yes.  
  
Can´t. We. Avoid. It. (?)  
  
We. Cant. Avoid. Fate.  
  
* * *  
  
The black cloud obscured the moon first. Then, it slowly descended, covering with darkness the dry woods near Wayne´s home. Hundreds of parademons landed in order on a gigantic and desserted park. The others flew around.  
  
Captain Sartroff was leading those beasts. After a quick search, he began to suspect something. Nothing. Only rocks, the woods and, behind that, the sea. Maybe the signal was wrong. The super-beings were not there.  
  
Sartroff touched a small device on his wrist. It was a comunication device that made a funny sound.  
  
"We are at the site, Sir. It seems dessert."  
  
The traitor´s voice answered.  
  
"They are there, Captain. Somewhere. Search for them."  
  
"But, Sir..."  
  
Sartroff could not finish his words. He felt how a strong sudden heat turned the right side of his face into cooked meat. The hand that was holding the machine got fired up.Something had exploded near him killing at least twenty parademons. Sartroff fell to the ground and covered his head with his arms.  
  
"Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"  
  
"Attack! Someone is attacking us!"  
  
"Darkseid, they´ve killed them..."  
  
"Do something!"  
  
"Yearrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..."  
  
"Captain! Captain!"  
  
Another explosion this time at Sartroff´s left. Pain was growing on his left side because a rock had stuck between his third and fourth rib. Eight parademons were destroyed. The others flew up trying to avoid future attacks.  
  
Chaos everywhere.  
  
Whoever had attacked them did so without warning. There was too much smoke and Sartroff could not see his hand in front of his eyes. He could hear the moans and cries from the wounded. And something more. Something that sounded like a roar. But it was not a roar.   
  
It was an engine. Sartroff was sure that was an engine. And it was near.  
  
Very near.  
  
Too near.  
  
"No..." Captain Sartroff said before the gigantic wheel of the Bat-tank came out from the hellish mist and crushed his head like an egg.  
  
* * *  
  
The third squad of parademons was floating on the air while The Bat-tank shot at their comrades. They had to stop that damned machine and whoever was driving it.  
  
"Ready for attack!" Captain F´ravvha said.  
  
Sixty Parademons were prepared to fire their weapons on the Bat-tank´s armor. Other thirty would come down and attack it from the sides.  
  
"It´s the Bäldiir..." one of the demons whispered to another.  
  
"Never thought he really existed..."  
  
"Go!!!" F´ravvha ordered.  
  
They began their descent. Darkseid´s pride. Killing monsters without other will than pleasing their master´s cruel designs. They knew the tank´s armored hide could not stop Apokolips´ power forever. They flew down in order, with grace and speed. Some of them prepared their axes. It would soon be over.  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile inside the tank, Batman watched the screen in front of him. He could see parademons dying when the fire of the cannons hit them. He was not feeling any remorse. Of course. Those beings were not human, and Batman vowed long time ago never to take a human life, never to kill.   
  
Those creatures were killing machines, slavers, cowards. There was nothing remotely human in them.  
  
"Parademons" was almost an exact name to describe those monsters. That helped Batman´s work when he pulled the trigger.   
  
"No pity" the Dark Knight said in a low voice and coughed. He was not feeling very well lately. Batman heard the clash of metal against the tank´s armored side. He knew they would reach him, eventually.   
  
But he was ready to die.  
  
His belt had four bombs ready to explode if the parademons caught him alive. He would die, but also take a great number of those bastards with him. Batman had estimated that the four consecutive explosions could kill almost one hundred and twenty parademons.  
  
  
  
Thoughts like that made the Dark Knight grin.  
  
* * *  
  
Flash was the first one to arrive to a spot near the battle. What he saw let him breathless: It was a living ocean of parademons. And in the middle of that obscene sea, the Bat-tank was firing at will. Some parademons were also hit by Bruce´s lasers hidden somewhere in the woods.  
  
"Sometimes paranoia helps" Wally told himself.  
  
The rest appeared only seconds after him.  
  
"Hera! It´s an army!"  
  
"Bruce is fighting alone..." Superman said in a low voice.  
  
Arthur gave one step forward. The hook where his left hand used to be was shinning with a bright of it´s own. Maybe it knew it would be needed soon.  
  
"I say we strike NOW!" Aquaman told his partners and he hurled himself against the bloody monsters.  
  
"Attack!" Superman ordered.  
  
They all obeyed, even a weakened Dr. Fate who still got enough the power to fly.  
  
"Are you sure you can fight with us, Fate?" Superman asked.  
  
"I will do my best, Superman. I cannot let you fight alone..."  
  
"But you´ve taken down Doosmday. You should rest..."  
  
"WE took down Doomsday, Superman. All of us." Fate replied.  
  
Green Lantern used his ring to create a huge saw that took the parademons by surprise. They were cut to ribbons.  
  
"It´s them!!!" a parademon said.  
  
"They are back! After all this time! how...?" the monster could not finish his sentence because Flash had just broken his neck with a full speed kick.  
  
Parademons had strenght in numbers but JLA was a lot more powerful. If the fight continued this way, it would soon be over. Very soon.  
  
None of them noticed that someone was watching the fight from a safe distance in the air. Someone they knew. Someone that had betrayed them.  
  
* * *  
  
IN THE BATTLE.  
  
KYLE.  
  
It doesn´t matter how hard I try. For these guys, I´ll always be the rookie. Always. Damn it. These things are fast. Thank God for Wally. He´s faster than them and that´s the second time in this fight he has saved my ass.  
  
But he still looks me sometimes like saying "What the hell are you doing?" The saw was a good idea but, after the initial surprise, these monsters seem to be ready when I change my attack.  
  
Maybe if I use a big hammer... Yes!   
  
Good, I took down those who were close enough to damage the Bat-tank. Hope Bruce will appreciate this. He usually doesn´t like when we get in "his" fight. Still I´m sure he will stare at me fora while...  
  
J´ONN  
  
Incoming. Someone is trying to reach you telephatically. That someone has a powerful mind.  
  
"J´onn. Can you hear me?"  
  
"I can hear you Batman. We are in the middle of something as you sure can appreciate..."  
  
"J´onn I need you to tell Dr. Fate to come inside the tank with me."  
  
The martian smirked. Then, he grabbed two parademons and made their heads break each other´s.  
  
"So, you´re finally admiting you need hel..."  
  
"And you´re a telephath, J´onn. Read my mind. We will need Dr. fate."  
  
"Would it hurt if you tell me why?"  
  
"The traitor is here."  
  
"What? You know who...?"  
  
"Yes."   
  
ARTHUR.  
  
These beasts. They repel me. They are not as strong and fast as the ones we fought in the Dark Battle. But that was many years ago.  
  
Near me Clark is cooking those bastards with his heat vision. The old boy scout is fighting harder these days. Still, he´s not the same man I used to know. He has changed. Maybe when Lois left Superman part of him left with her. Just like part of me died with my son.  
  
Look at us. We used to keep the world safe. Now we are trying to win it back. We failed. Darkseid has turned us into cold blooded killers. We are at war even though these things are not in their prime.  
  
This demons are weaker than the other ones we have fought in the past. We are going to win this battle. I don´t like this.  
  
It´s too easy.  
  
Way too easy.  
  
* * *  
  
"Kal, they are retreating."  
  
Superman nodded.  
  
"Yes, Diana. This hasn´t been a good battle for them..."  
  
"I don´t get it." Flash was attacking eight parademons at the same time while he talked. "Why would someone send this mob? I mean, they were a lot but now they are escaping and there are many dead among them..."  
  
"Whoever sent them knew we would not be defeated by them. More games, I don´t like this." Diana said.  
  
"We´ve been saying that for a while. Where´s Dr. Fate?" Superman asked.  
  
Wally kept speeding. A crimson ghost beating up monsters.  
  
"I think I just saw him entering the Bat-tank."  
  
"I´d better go and check it out." Diana said as she broke a parademon´s neck. The monster let out a scream and then he relaxed. One of his eyeballs fell out from it´s orbit.  
  
* * *  
  
"I´m weak, Bruce." Dr. Fate said. "I´m not sure I can do what you ask me."  
  
"Then we are in trouble because he´s here, Fate."  
  
"You mean...?"  
  
"Yes. I´ve detected some kind of superbeing flying this way. He comes from the east."  
  
"Are you sure it´s him?"  
  
"Yes... it has to be him. Stupid, I should have known, I should have..."  
  
Batman shook his head and covered his eyes with a hand.  
  
"You´re not feeling well, Bruce." Dr. Fate said. "I can see you´re shaking. You got high fever, right?"  
  
"It´s nothing. I´m fine."  
  
Dr. Fate nodded.  
  
"Whatever you say, Batman." and he dissappeared.  
  
Bruce heard a metalic noise, like someone pushing a very heavy piece of steel. Then he understood. The tank´s hatchway opened and someone got in. He was ready to die if those parademons put their claws on him.  
  
"No..." Bruce said.  
  
"Bruce...?"  
  
"Princess? I did not see you coming to the tank..."  
  
"You´re not the only one who can avoid camaras and radars, Bruce." Diana said as she closed the armored trap over her. Outside, parademons screamed. Batman stared at her. She seemed worried about him. Wonder Woman came closer and, softly, put her hand on Bruce´s cheek. Batman closed his eyes behind his mask´s white orbs.  
  
"Diana, go the battle they need you..."  
  
"Bruce, those creatures are falling back. I´m more worried about you..."  
  
"Why? we..."  
  
Batman took a deep breath and tried to stay in focus.  
  
"I´m okay..."  
  
"You´ve got fever. You´re sick."  
  
"Why... why are you so concerned about me? Since you..." then he shut up.  
  
"Since what?" Wonder Woman´s voice showed interest.   
  
Batman remembered Dinah´s (or Psychopirate?) words: "You´re so sensitive... You know, I could almost taste Wonder Woman´s love for you..." Could that be true? Could she really love him? Maybe it was a cruel lie. But Diana had an expression on her face that told him it was not.  
  
"We did not... get along well all those years ago, Princess..."  
  
She took his shaking hand with hers.  
  
"You were always attacking me..." Diana said with an almost naive voice and she looked down without letting go of his hand.  
  
Batman thought she sounded like a young girl excusing herself for doing something wrong."He did it to me first, daddy!" He found the idea amusing. Even though he was feeling like hell.  
  
"Did I... attack you?"  
  
Diana smiled showing her perfect white teeth.  
  
"Yes, always grim and bitter. You acted like you never wanted me around. Like I was some kind of... annoyance." the tone in her voice persisted.  
  
"It... wasn´t about you... I never wanted to..."  
  
Her hand closed around his.  
  
"We never really talked..." she said.  
  
"I... I..." Bruce was making an effort to say something and Diana saw him for a moment like a shy, quiet kid on his first day of school. At last, Batman was going to speak and Wonder Woman wanted to listen. It was then when his lips hardened and his face was covered by the spirit of the Bat.  
  
"Captain Atom."  
  
"What???" Diana exclamed not really knowing what he was talking about.  
  
"There." He pointed at the screen in front of them. Captain Atom was standing near the battle with his arms crossed, resting on an old tree looking straight at the Justice League.   
  
That caught Diana by surprise. Another one of them. Alive! The battle was over fast, maybe because he had helped them in the last min... Then she noticed Atom was grinning. And not in a nice way.  
  
"It´s him, Diana."  
  
She couldn´t take her eyes from the screen. She moved her lips but not a word came out of them. Diana looked at Bruce and he stared back.  
  
Then Batman exposed the awful truth:  
  
"That´s Darkseid´s ally here on earth. Captain Atom is the one who betrayed us, Princess."  
  
A thunder exploded in the dark sky.  
  
A storm was coming.  
  
  
  
Judas had arrived. 


	13. Merit In Heaven, Hell On Earth

"Red is the color of my hell."   
  
Beautiful South - Old Red Eyes Is Back  
  
*   
  
"Hey, Trashcan! where you going boy? your eyes are feet apart  
  
Is that the end your carrying? shall I play the funeral march."  
  
The Alarm - The Stand  
  
*  
  
Chapter 13: Merit in Heaven, Hell On Earth.  
  
Thunder exploded in the sky. Then, rain began to fall.  
  
Appropiate.  
  
Judas had arrived.  
  
Superman, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern were standing on the battle field. In front of them, the traitor grinned. The ground beneath their feet was full with corpses and parademon blood. Parademons, otherwise, were escaping. They decided to let their leader care about those super beings. That was quite a defeat for Darkseid´s hordes.  
  
Still, the traitor was very calm. Strangely calm.  
  
"You´ve done well." Captain Atom said. He was not the same the JLA knew. His body was bigger, and he had long hair. His eyes were yellow as the sun. The "uniform", once silver, was now gray. Dark Gray, almost black. He had a black belt with six small black balls on it.   
  
"Nat???" Superman said. "You... you can´t..."  
  
"It´s me, all right. I´ve decided to come out of hiding. Don´t make such a big deal about it." Atom exploded in a chilling laugh.  
  
"You... you betrayed us..." J´onn whispered.  
  
"Yes, J´onn. I did. Too many years ago."  
  
"You son of a bitch!!!" Aquaman jumped towards Atom with the hook on his left arm aiming to the traitor´s throat. He moved his hand and Aquaman flew back hitting a dry tree with his back. They heard the sound of bones breaking.  
  
"Unnnhhhhh!!!"  
  
"Arthur!"  
  
Captain Atom chuckled.  
  
"Don´t worry, Superman, old pal. He´s only stunned. Still, Arthur had never been a man who thinks first."  
  
The traitor walked around looking at his feet, his hands together at his back. No one moved except him.  
  
"Now, you´ve seen what I can send against you..."  
  
"Doomsday, Vandal Savage... Is that the worst you can do!?" Superman shouted.  
  
Captain Atom looked up and that evil grin was still on his face. "No. I can do worse." he answered letting out another laugh.  
  
"You were one of us..." Kyle began.  
  
"That´s right, Lantern. I was one of us. Still, I´m being faithfull to my opinions. To my ways. And this was the only way."  
  
"The only way? What are you talking about?" Superman asked fighting his urge to burn Atom to a crisp with heat vision.  
  
"The world is a quiet place now. The human plague has been erradicated. This is a planet for gods now. For New Gods." Atom´s voice sounded bitter.  
  
"That´s what you are? A God?" J´onn said.  
  
Atom´s eyes made contact with J´onn´s and the martian saw that whatever made the traitor human once, was gone. Maybe forever.  
  
"Yes. That´s what I am now."  
  
"You´re insane." Wally said.  
  
"That´s what you call someone who acts in a way you can´t understand, West. And I don´t expect you to understand me with your little mind. Still, you´d better be thankful I ordered those parademons only to cut your feet and not your damned throat."  
  
"YOU ORDERED???" Wally´s face turned red in a second. Kyle put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.   
  
"You know we can´t let you go with this, Nat. We won´t" Superman said.  
  
This time, the traitor´s smiled widened a lot. "Oh, Really? I think you will not stop me. Instead, I think you´d be very interested on me to keep in charge here, boys."  
  
"You´re talking nonsense." Aquaman said while he made an effort to stand up.  
  
"Darkseid´s does not know about Atlantis... yet, Arthur. Oh! And I know you´ve got a son now, don´t you? A teenager. Nice to see you´ve been keeping this one alive. You´re improving." The traitor winked.  
  
"You, dirty, rotten piece of..."  
  
"Language, Arthur, language!" Captain Atom said.   
  
"You ordered those monsters to cut my legs... you..."  
  
"It´s always all about you, right Wally? I made you a favor. They wanted to kill you. They fear me, so they followed my orders. If you kept running in your stupid scarlet suit a lot of people would have died."  
  
"Bastard!!! You, bastard! They are slaves..."  
  
"Maybe. But they are alive, Wally. Parademons only kill those who try to escape."  
  
"You talk like you are not part of this, Nat." J´onn said with irony "But you are a murderer. And you know it."  
  
"Always the mind reader, J´onn. But you can´t read my mind. I´ve done everything to stop you from doing so. And you don´t know how I feel."  
  
"You´ve killed, you´ve maimed..." Kyle said.  
  
"I´ve saved the world, Lantern. Darkseid would have destroyed Earth. I have been doing what I´ve done all my life."  
  
"You, miserable..." said a low voice behind them.  
  
"Batman. How nice of you to appear. So many of my men think of you as a legend. You should be flattered. Hi there, Wonder Woman."   
  
The amazon looked at Atom with hate on her eyes but stayed silent. Bruce´s voice sounded like thunder. No one could tell he was sick.  
  
"Your men. You´re side by side with that psychotic killer..."  
  
"I´m making earth a place of order and peace. And Batman, you should join me. I could use a man like you. We could accomplish great..."  
  
"Shut up!" Batman shouted. "Dinah´s dead because of you! Oliver, Katar..."  
  
"I mourn every death, Batman. You just don´t understand how big this is."  
  
* * *  
  
How could they judge him?   
  
What did this stupid men in their fancy suits know about keeping peace in the world? They were jealous of him. He had saved the planet. Atom succeeded where they had failed. They couldn´t forgive him that.  
  
He was the true hero of the story. Atom was the good guy, even though he had joined evil to accomplish good. So what? Many men in history had done that. All for a bigger cause.  
  
All those years ago, Captain Atom went to war with his comrades but he already knew how that battle was going to end. Parademons did not touch him and when the smoke was high he turned and blew one of his old friends to pieces.   
  
He killed Guy Gardner, The Ray, Plastic Man, Damage, Booster Gold, Fire and Blue Beetle in that infamous battle. He had to kill them. It was the only way. Darkseid had to see good will in him. If not, The Dark God could have obliverated Earth. And Captain Atom did not want that. He did not want his world to die.   
  
Now Earth was very different, but it was (still) there. He was in charge now, it was his responsability. But no. They could not understand that. They didn´t understand a damn thing, those losers.   
  
It was his merit. He had done good. Very good.  
  
And they defied him! They thought he was some kind of villain. There was no respect for Earth´s savior. They dared. They would pay for that. For the glory of Darkseid!  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
"You dare call me a murderer. I saved people!!! How about all of you???" Captain Atom yelled. "You insisted on fighting Darkseid, even though you knew what he could do and you still went on. And thousands of people died, because of you!"  
  
"You are side by side with that killer, Atom." Superman said.  
  
Suddenly, they all saw it. Behind Atom a shadow appeared. Something that was not actually there but it was visible. A strange kind of darkness and, in that hole full of nothing, two beams of light lived. But it was not hard to see those beams were not light. They were, big red eyes. Evil eyes.  
  
His eyes.  
  
Watching them.  
  
The eyes of the Dark God.  
  
And Atom aimed both of his fists towards the Justice League.  
  
"Join me, or die."  
  
And he shoot one blast of energy that hit Kyle´s hand. The one with the ring. Kyle let out a scream of both, pain and surprise. The ring was not ready for that. He fell back to the ground and tried to strike back. The ring would work, the ring would...  
  
Except nothing happenned.  
  
Kyle looked at his arm and opened his mouth. Not a word came out.  
  
His right hand was not there anymore. It had been cut above the wrist and black smoke came out of the cauterized wound. He could smell his own cooked flesh.  
  
"Kyle..." Batman whispered.  
  
Superman exploded with rage. "You son of a bitch!!!" A blast of Superman´s heat vision hit Atom on the chest. The traitor hurled himself into the air and kicked the Man of Steel on the jaw. Superman hit the ground with his knees. That bastard was even stronger than before.  
  
"You shouldn´t be attacking me, Supes! Not when I have something you want."  
  
That caught Clark by surprise and Atom delivered another kick, this time to Superman´s back. When J´onn tried to attack another jolt of energy came out of Atom´s fists and the Martian flew back destroying rocks in the process.  
  
"See. I can destroy you, if I want. Actually... I want to. Freeze, ol´boy."  
  
Wally had started speeding but he stopped with violence. Atom somehow had... freezed him.  
  
"He´s using magic!" Wonder Woman yelled.  
  
"Heh, you´re smart, girl. You´re really smart." Atom smiled.  
  
* * *  
  
Kyle was feeling like hell. He heard sounds of battle near him but his mind was slowly fading to black. The pain was unbearable. He moved on his knees, like a child praying, and extended his left hand touching the grass around him. He had to find his hand.   
  
Green Lantern tried to fight the sudden waves of nausea that invaded him. Then he touched it. He felt his own flesh, not a part of him anymore. It was like touching someone else´s hand. It was cold as a dead fish is cold. And it still moved a little. He managed to take the ring out of the middle finger of his amputated hand and fought to stay awake. He puked all over that piece of meat. Finally, he knew he was defeated. Kyle fainted. 


	14. Oz

"The boys are back in town  
  
And when the boys are back there ain´t no foolin´ around."  
  
- The Bus Boys "The boys are back in town"  
  
*  
  
"I don´t need a shrink I need a doctor!"  
  
- The Gentlemen "Sour Mash"  
  
*  
  
"Ya don't know what you're messin' with.   
  
You got no idea  
  
You don't know what you're lookin' at   
  
When you're lookin' here  
  
Ya don't know what you're up against,  
  
No, no way, no how  
  
You don't know what you're messin' with,   
  
But I'm gonna tell you now!  
  
Get this straight!  
  
I'm just a mean green mother from outer space and I'm bad  
  
I'm just a mean green mother from outer space   
  
And it looks like you been had!  
  
I'm just a mean green mother from outer space,   
  
So get off my back 'n get out my face,  
  
'Cause I'm mean and green and I am bad!"  
  
Audrey II - Little Shop Of Horrors  
  
*  
  
Chapter 14: Oz.  
  
Superman couldn´t move. He was under some kind of spell that made him look like a living statue of... himself. He could move his eyes though, but he couldn´t turn his heat vision on. Clark saw everyone else was like him. Wally, Diana, Arthur, J´onn and Bruce. Kyle was unconcious near them, his hand had been cut by that damn traitor who once was Captain Atom.  
  
"Now, I´ve got you where I wanted." Atom said with an evil grin on his face. "See, I will kill all of you if I have to, but I prefer not to... for now. I really believe you´re reacting with your emotions. You´re not using your brains."  
  
Captain Atom walked in front of them as a man looking at old sculptures on a museum. He seemed amused with that strange audience.  
  
"First, I will answer your questions. I´m sure you want to know why I´m using spells? Well, I had to improve myself to fight superbeings. I found a big book of black magic, property of a man named John Constantine. Does that name ring any bells?"  
  
Batman closed his eyelids under his cowl´s white orbs.  
  
Atom did not seem to notice. He continued: "The thing is, now I´m more powerful than ever and I´m ready to make a bargain with you: Join me. Join us! Darkseid will be pleased to see you´re on his side... Here, we can be kings! We can bring earth back! No! WE CAN MAKE IT NEW! WE ARE NEEDED IN THIS WORLD!"  
  
A tear escaped Diana´s eye and entered on her mouth. She tasted salt.   
  
Atom looked at them for a few seconds. Then he put his hands on the black belt he was wearing. He touched each of the six small black spheres attached to it.  
  
"Otherwise, I will give you a clean end. This things are bombs. Anti-life bombs, see. They can kill anything, even you, Superman. I´ve got six but I´m quite sure It won´t be necessary to use them all. I know some of you want to join me. I would, If I were you."  
  
Atom smiled. "Well? Answer me, please. This offer stands up for a limited time..."  
  
No answer. Atom frowned, then laughed.  
  
"Oh, silly, silly ME! You can´t talk. It´s okay. Now you can!" he snapped his fingers and winked an eye to Wonder Woman.   
  
"You´re insane! We will never join you!" Superman yelled.  
  
"Oh, such drama." Atom shaked his head. "Well, then I will use one of this bombs on you, Superman. Pity."  
  
"Give it up, Atom." Batman said.   
  
The Traitor opened his mouth. Then he closed it. "You want me to give up, Batman? You can´t move, you talk because I let you, remember."  
  
"Atom, listen to me. You can still save yourself. You still got a choice. Give it up, or you´re dead." Batman insisted.  
  
"You dare... Is that a threat, Batman?"  
  
The Caped Crusader´s voice showed no emotion. "No. I´m trying to make you reconsider. I suggest you let us free. Now."  
  
Captain Atom was listening with an expression of amazement on his face. Then, he couldn´t help it and exploded with a violent laughter.  
  
"Ohh... that´s rich, Batman. You´ve got big balls. You´re a brave one."  
  
Atom grabbed two of the bombs and retired them from the belt. "Well, I´m going to erase World´s Finest forever. The rest of you have a few more minutes to think. I´m sure you´ll change your mind after I´ve taken care of these two idiots."  
  
"I told you." Batman said.  
  
It was then when Atom recieved a powerful magic blast from behind his back.  
  
* * *   
  
"What the hell???" The traitor stood up feeling how his back burned. Whoever had attacked him did it without any kind of remorse. "YOU???" The traitor asked with rage in his voice.  
  
"Us." Madame Xanadu answered. Dr. Fate stood at her side.  
  
Captain Atom stroke back with blast of energy that came out of his fists.  
  
The beautiful witch smiled and avoided the beams without effort. "You´re doing this all wrong, little man." Xanadu laughed. Her eyes turned white and she spoke: "A´sk´siuhfrrfgk!"  
  
Atom felt how an invisible hand grabbed him and threw him to his right. He flew out of control until some trees stopped him. He fell down on a spot where the grass was still green. "Funny." he thought with pain as he stood up again and flew. He was very, very angry.  
  
"You´re crazy if you think you can stop me, Xanadu!"  
  
She looked at Atom with a wicked smile."You really want to fight, boy?"  
  
The traitor felt how hate climbed from his stomach to his brain, making him blind. He showed his teeth like dogs do when they fight other dog.  
  
"Don´t patronize me, bitch."  
  
"It´s "Witch". And that´s no way to treat a lady..."  
  
Atom hit the trees with his body again. This time, he was really pissed off.   
  
* * *  
  
"Green Lantern." a voice said and Kyle began to regain conciousness.  
  
He saw Dr. Fate standing in front of him but he was a blur. The whole damn world was a blur. Or maybe he was dead. But the intense pain on his right arm told him he was still alive.  
  
"F-Fate... I..." Kyle tried to say but Fate interrupted him.   
  
"Don´t waste your energies. I had to ask Xanadu for help and now I need you. Use your ring, Lantern. We have to stop Atom."  
  
Kyle saw how the beautiful wizard avoided each of Atom´s blasts. Still, he knew that wouldn´t be enough. Atom was very dangerous.  
  
"T- Tell... me what I m-m-must do..." Kyle said.  
  
* * *  
  
Diana felt it first. The spell that maintained her unable to move was slowly fading away. She looked at Bruce at her side. He was still frozen. A selfish thought: the Amazon wondered why everytime she and Batman were about to have The Talk, something or someone happenned. Now, she was not sure they could survive Atom´s rage.  
  
Still Bruce was willing to give his life for her. Not, for her, for all of them. She was being so selfish!  
  
He´d give his life for you*. The voice in her mind said.  
  
What? J´onn!!!* Diana answered.  
  
Sorry. Your thoughts are escaping your mind. Your feelings are too loud. I can´t avoid "hearing" them.*  
  
Can you send my thoughts to him?*  
  
Yes, Diana, I can. But we´ve got another kind of situation here..."*  
  
Please, J´onn! It´s now or never!*  
  
You can´t sigh with your mind but Diana could swore she heard the martian do so.  
  
Okay. Make it fast.* J´onn said in her mind.  
  
* * *   
  
"There! Take that you, bitch!" Captain Atom laughed.  
  
The full blast made impact on Xanadu´s left leg and she fell to the ground without making any noice. She felt the heat but her leg was still there. Magic helped. Although she was in pain she could still fight the traitor.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for? Throw me one of your killing toys, coward!"  
  
"I don´t need an anti-life bomb to take care of you, whore. Darkseid will be pleased when I hand him your head. And your fine ass too..."  
  
"You really should learn some manners, Atom!" Kyle yelled behind him.  
  
Surprise and a gigantic green hammer hit Atom at the same time making him carve a hole in the ground. After hammer turned inmediatly into a claw, it grabbed the traitor by the head and hurled against the rocks.  
  
Then a green bubble was created to trap Atom inside.   
  
"Let me out! Let me out now, you little shit!"  
  
"Not now. Let him go." Dr. Fate said.  
  
"What? Are you sure? Why...?"  
  
Dr. Fate stared at Kyle with his bright eyes flashing behind the golden mask.Green Lantern knew that man (man?) was a very old one, but in that moment he seemed so young. So full of life. Full of good. "Trust me." he said.  
  
"All right..." Kyle nodded and let the shield down.  
  
"Give it up, Atom!" Batman yelled.  
  
"I´m going to kill you all." Captain Atom said full of rage. He took his hand to his belt to grab the Anti-life bombs. But, in a blink, his expression changed from wrath to surprise then to fear. He looked down.  
  
The belt was not there anymore.  
  
"What the hell???" The traitor yelled.  
  
Atom did not realize that the short grass on the spot where he was standing was suddenly longer.  
  
"You want your bombs, murderer?" Fate asked him with a cold voice. "Take them. Or maybe... they will take you."  
  
The grass at Atom´s feet moved, like a thousand green snakes, and the bombs appeared. Atom stared at Dr. Fate trying to understand.  
  
The grass grew up in just an instant. The trees behind Atom grabbed him by his arms and legs with green tentacles. In a few seconds Atom was trapped in a small, wild jungle. He threw blast of energies but they were all deflected. And whatever had trapped him also gave him pain. A lot of pain. The tentacles were getting inside his mouth and down his throat. He felt panic. He tried to scream but his lungs were full of roots. "It... looks.... like... you... been had!" a deep voice he had never heard before said in his mind.  
  
Kyle was weak but what he was seeing amazed him enough to make him produce a deep growl.   
  
"My God... It´s... It´s that thing..."  
  
"The Swamp Thing." Dr. Fate replied. "He has taken care of Doomsday´s body. And he took Atom´s bombs when Xanadu distracted him."  
  
"I want a piece of him. He took my hand."  
  
"He took my feet." Flash said appearing behind them.  
  
"I want to nail him." Aquaman whispered and walked towards the green jungle but stopped near it.  
  
"It´s over. You´re all moving." Madame Xanadu said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Superman asked not really wanting to know the answer.  
  
"Captain Atom is dead. That´s why you´re free." Dr.Fate replied.  
  
"What? How???" Wally asked.  
  
"Alec Holland, The Swamp Thing, is an elemental. He´s more powerful than we can know. Atom knew little magic, probably a few spells, not enough to stop Holland."   
  
"Oz. The great and terrible Wizard of Oz. A cheater." Batman said.  
  
"A bad magician. And he needed to use something the Swamp Thing does not use... at least not like us."  
  
"And that´s...?" Diana wanted to know.  
  
"Lungs." Dr. Fate sounded amused.  
  
* * *  
  
"What an awful way to go..." J´onn said. "Suffocated."  
  
"We are alive, J´onn." Batman walked towards the place the trees had devoured Captain Atom. He touched the plants gently and they moved. When Batman returned he had the belt with the bombs in his hand.  
  
"Defeated by a plant. That Holland is mean and green when he wants to." Wally said.  
  
"He said something about me..." Superman frowned.  
  
"I know. I was waiting for the right time to tell you about it." Batman replied.  
  
"What?" Clark´s mouth opened wide.  
  
"We will talk later at the manor." Batman said. "Now we must take care of the wounded."  
  
Flash helped Xanadu walk. Superman took Kyle. Before Clark could fly with him to the manor, Batman put his hand on Green Lantern´s shoulder.  
  
"You´ve saved us, Kyle." The Dark Knight said to a very weak Lantern who, somehow, managed to smile.  
  
"I´ve... lost... m-m-my hand... hurts."  
  
Aquaman, who was standing at Batman´s side touched Kyle´s forehead and smiled him back. Arthur showed his shinning hook placed where his left hand once was.  
  
"Relax, kid. It´s not the end of the world, you know."  
  
"I-I-I´m not-t- a-a k-kid anymore..."  
  
"I´d better take him to the cave. I´ll meet you there." Superman said. Up, up and away. He was gone. Flash took Xanadu back to the manor at full speed.  
  
* * *  
  
While they were walking back to the manor J´onn aproached Batman.  
  
"You´re going to tell him, then?"  
  
"You´re a mind reader. You know I will."  
  
The Martian directed his eyes to Diana who was walking with Arthur a few steps ahead.  
  
"It´s time, right?"  
  
"Right. He deserves to know."  
  
J´onn smiled and looked at the Dark Knight. Bruce didn´t smile back.  
  
"I´m not talking about that..."  
  
"Then what are you talking about, J´onn?"  
  
"I´m talking about HER, Bruce."  
  
Batman did not say anything for a few seconds and they walked in silence.  
  
"First things first." He finally said. J´onn was amazed. Bruce was still hiding his sickness. His voice sounded calm. It was almost impossible to tell he was in pain.  
  
"As you wish. At least let me make you a question."  
  
Batman seemed surprised. "You´re not reading my mind, then? Shoot."  
  
"How did you know Atom was behind this?"  
  
"Two things made me realize that. But I wasn´t sure until the battles with the parademons."  
  
"How´s that?"   
  
"First, Atom did not know I´m Bruce Wayne. If he actually knew, the Cave could have been destroyed. Then those parademons... well, they flew just same way our heros did during the Invasion all those years ago. I remembered the tactic. Captain Atom lead us during the Invasion."  
  
J´onn nodded. "I do not wish to feed your already enormous ego, but you know you´re one hell of a detective."  
  
"I just do my best, J´onn. I just do my best..."  
  
As the JLA walked back home, the dead parademons were slowly going down in the ground. Swamp Thing was using their dead bodies to feed the minerals on earth. Soon the place would be green and no one could ever tell a great battle was fought there. Green with life. That was something the world needed again. To remember about living. To come back to life.  
  
* * *  
  
In the middle of the darkness of space two red eyes appeared. They stared at Earth with hate for a few seconds. Then, they dissapeared into the void, like they were never there. They say in space no one can hear you scream but, somehow that law was broken. A roar full of wrath travelled through the coldness of the Universe and arrived Earth where it sounded like a far away thunder.  
  
The time was near.  
  
The Dark God was ready.  
  
The war was at hand.  
  
And somewhere in "The Third Hell", trapped deep in a dungeon, a man with dark eyes cried.  
  
A Crisis was coming.  
  
END OF BOOK I. 


	15. Answers

JLA: THE THIRD HELL  
  
BOOK II: MIRRORS  
  
"Lies, dripping off your mouth like dirt  
  
Lies, lies in every step you walk  
  
Lies, whispered sweetly in my ear  
  
Lies, how do I get out of here?  
  
Why, why you have to be so cruel?  
  
Lies, lies, lies I ain't such a fool!  
  
Lies, lies in my papa's looks  
  
Lies, lies in my history books  
  
Lies, lies like they teach in class  
  
Lies, lies, lies I catch on way too fast  
  
Fire, fire upon your wicked tongue  
  
Lies, lies, lies you're trying to spoil my fun  
  
Lies, lies you dirty jezebel  
  
Why, why, why, why don't you go to hell?  
  
Why, why you think me such a fool?  
  
Lies, lies, lies honey that's ya rules!"  
  
The Rolling Stones "Lies"  
  
Chapter 15: Answers.  
  
The boom tube opened in the Fortress of Abargruihn. Hundreds of parademons were there, waiting, for their new leader to arrive. A shadow came out of the cosmic portal.  
  
"Hail, Desaad!" the army of parademons said at the same time, their voices transformed into one. Desaad waved and went straight into work.  
  
"Darkseid is not pleased, Colonel Fravdda. Atom´s death is a bad sign. A sign of weakness. We can´t afford that. The Universe cannot see us as weak, all right?"  
  
"Yes, Lord Desaad." Fravdda answered.  
  
"I want a complete inform about every thing happening in here. About every prisoner, about those damned heros. Oh, and I want to know how is "proyect S" too, Colonel Fravdda. As soon as posible, you hear?"  
  
"Yes, Lord Desaad."  
  
* * *  
  
The woods. A mile away from Wayne Manor.  
  
"It feels weird. Still, it works amazingly well, Wally."  
  
"You´ll get used to it. Batman has used every cell in his brain to create these amazing prostetics. Sometimes, I even forget I´ve got no feet."  
  
"I can´t believe only a week ago I had a real right hand. Now, working with this... robotic wonder makes me feel excited."  
  
"Don´t get too excited, pal. You still have training to do. We have only won a battle. Fighting Darkseid himself... that´s a different matter."  
  
Kyle sat on a rock and put his left hand on his chin.  
  
"You look like that Rodin sculpture..."  
  
"I´m thinking... What are we going to do, Wally? Atom gave us a hard time. We had luck Dr. Fate and Xanadú joined the fight..."  
  
"And the Swamp Thing."   
  
"Right. I don´t think Darkseid is going to be easy. He is not over confident as Atom was. Darkseid has a cold calculating mind. He is evil, but his pride is in the right place."  
  
"I don´t get your point, Kyle."  
  
Kyle opened and closed his new robotic hand a couple of times.  
  
"I mean that Darkseid is not a predictable foe. He is a plotter. He´s full with pride, but he can acknowledge his mistakes."  
  
"You mean he´s not going to underestimate us as Atom did?"  
  
"Exactly. He would never underestimate us... I will tell you the truth. I hope that when the time comes, we will be all ready for him."  
  
"We will, Kyle. I don´t know if we will win or loose against him but I´ll tell one thing: It´s going to be interesting. And If I´m going to die, I want my death to be interesting as hell."  
  
* * *  
  
"Do you want to tell me something, Bruce?"  
  
Clark was standing on the door of Bruce Wayne´s living room. Bruce waited, sitting on a chair made of wood near the fireplace. Darkness covered his face.  
  
"Yes, Clark. Please, sit down."  
  
Clark sat on a similar chair near a big stuffed bear and stared at Bruce for a few seconds.  
  
"So? Are you going to explain me how did you recover from your sickness?"  
  
Bruce´s upper lip moved a little.  
  
"You noticed."  
  
"Yes. Another of your secrets. Arthur´s right, Bruce. You keep a lot from us. We´re partners. We´re friends. Remember what happenned with those protocols all those years ago?"  
  
"I do remember. And those secrets I keep exist. So, it´s true. I recovered from my... sickness."  
  
"You were sick with radiation. K radiation, right?"  
  
Bruce smirked with satisfaction. Clark was quite a good detective when he tried. Of course, he had the big advantage of his super powers. He wasn´t brilliant, of course.  
  
"Yes. I got sick from the radiation from a Kryptonite rock I carry in my belt."  
  
"That´s how you managed to hit me so hard when he... met again, right? I felt that my powers went off for a couple of minutes..."  
  
"You´re right."  
  
Clark relaxed on his chair and waited. It was time for some explanations.  
  
"I carry that rock, Clark because..."  
  
"Because you´re paranoid, Bruce."  
  
Clark smiled. He had managed to say something that could make Bruce mad at him. A part of him wanted that to happen. Bruce was so secretive, they were friends at last and he could not tolerate it. Then Bruce dropped the bomb.  
  
"No. I carry it to protect me against another Kryptonian..."  
  
Clark almost jumped on his seat, not believing what he had just heard.  
  
"What???!!!"  
  
"I carry it to protect me from another Kryptonian. A Superboy. Your son: Mark Johnathan Kent."  
  
* * *  
  
Wayne Manor´s Kitchen.  
  
Alfred handed Diana a hot cup of tea. She thanked him and drank a little enjoying the heat on her lips. She had a heavy training session earlier that day and she was happy to rest at that point.  
  
"I presume you and Master Bruce have not talked yet, Miss Diana?"  
  
"Not yet, Alfred. I wonder how he could keep women interested like he did when the world was a... nicer place to live."  
  
Alfred put a bag of tea on his own cup.  
  
"They usually got mad at him. Master Bruce has never been good with relationships..."  
  
"How about Talia? I remember they were quite close..."  
  
"They loved each other. But she was the daughter of one of his most dangerous enemies."  
  
"Ra´s Al Ghul."  
  
Alfred nodded and drank a sip of his tea.  
  
"He gave up love because of his sense of justice then?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Diana. Justice is the only thing Master Bruce believes in."  
  
"He does not believe in love? How could I...?"  
  
Alfred´s voice sounded bitter when he spoke.  
  
"You could, Miss Diana. You could."  
  
* * *  
  
"HOW COULD YOU??? YOU ACTUALLY KEPT THAT FROM ME?"  
  
Superman´s face was red with anger and a fire alarm was ringing on his eyes. The muscles of his neck were almost coming out of his skin.  
  
"Calm down, Clark." Bruce said. "I´ll explain it to you."  
  
"CALM DOWN??? HOW THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT ME TO...?"  
  
Clark sat down in a sudden silence. The muscles of his face were relaxed.  
  
"Thank you, J´onn." Bruce said.  
  
The stuffed bear spoke: "You´re welcome." and transformed into the Martian Manhunter. "He was really getting mad. I used an old mind trick and made him believe it was all a bad dream."  
  
"Hmmm... sounds like a comic book recourse... the dream and all..."  
  
J´onn shook his head.  
  
"I did not know you read comic books."  
  
Bruce stood up and looked at Clark. He knew he had to tell Kent everything but he could not do that if Clark wanted to rip off his head.  
  
"Keep him calm, I will talk to him."  
  
"You could be such a fascist when you want, Bruce."  
  
He did not answer. Instead he focused on Clark. Superman´s eyes were looking at him but he was not sure Clark knew he had his eyes open."  
  
"Have you ever done this to me, J´onn?"  
  
J´onn smirked.  
  
"I could answer you that but then I would calm you down the same way I did with him..."  
  
"Point taken. Clark. Listen to me. I knew of the existence of your son four years ago. I developed a bigger K rock from a small fragment of the ring you gave all those years ago. I mixed it with a small piece of the red K Ra´s Al Ghul used against you during the protocols affair."  
  
Clark looked at Bruce and asked with a soft voice.  
  
"Why didn´t you tell me?"  
  
"Because I was not sure. I do not know your son. J´onn confirmed he is alive just after we joined forces again. That´s where J´onn was while you went looking for me: searching for your son."  
  
Clark eyes focused on the Martian.  
  
"And what did you find out?"  
  
"He´s alive. And Lois is alive too. She is a prisoner, but she lives."  
  
A small tear appeared on Superman´s right eye. Bruce looked the other way.  
  
"Lois... Alive..."  
  
"I took the information from a parademon called Vlighirr. Your son is not a prisoner right now. They are training him."  
  
"Training him? Wait, how could this be... how old is he?"  
  
Bruce lowered his eyes.  
  
"When Lois left you she was pregnant. That she did not tell you. I think he must be 14 years old, maybe 15 soon."  
  
"Oh, great Krypton. I have a... I´m a father..."  
  
J´onn frowned and looked at Bruce. "Don´t tell him that!" the telepathic message directed to him said, but Bruce ignored it.  
  
"The problem is... remember when you were in Apokolips during the G.Godfrey affair? Darkseid made you believe you were his son."  
  
Superman´s hands closed in a fist. J´onn showed his teeth as emotions hit his mind.  
  
"I don´t remember that very well... I remember only strange and violent flashes. Death. Orion. Fight."  
  
"Well, I know the whole story. The thing is Darkseid kinda liked playing the role of father with you. So, he has raised your son telling him he´s your father. Not you. He does not know you exist."  
  
J´onn took a hand to his forehead and felt pain. Clark was cutting loose.  
  
"I don´t think I can control him anymore... his rage is increasing..."  
  
Bruce felt his own sweat falling down his back under his shirt.  
  
"Against whom?"  
  
J´onn took a few seconds to answer, he managed to calm Superman down a little more time.  
  
"Against Darkseid, but we really should take him outside..."  
  
Bruce smiled as Clark began to tremble.  
  
"Fine, let´s take him out. Now."  
  
* * *  
  
Desaad stood outside the cell. The man inside was sitting in the darkness. Desaad smiled showing his awful teeth to him.  
  
"So nice to have you here, Pariah. I hope you´re saving your tears. If the master´s plans are true then you are going to need them..."  
  
A tortured voice came out of Pariah´s throat.  
  
"What do you want of me?"  
  
Desaad walked away from the cell as he answered the question.  
  
"Me? Nothing. You´ll have the chance to ask that to the master yourself. And very soon."  
  
Desaad´s laughter was heard all over the dungeons.  
  
And in a small room located somewhere in the fortress (it looked like a room but was actually a cell too) a woman managed to hear all of this.  
  
She knew quite a lot of spying others. She was an excellent reporter back in the old days. 


	16. Family

"Raise your head up  
  
Lift high the load  
  
Take strength from those that need you  
  
Build high the walls  
  
Build strong the beams  
  
A new life is waiting  
  
But danger's no stranger here  
  
No words describe a mother's tears  
  
No words can heal a broken heart  
  
A dream is gone, but where there's hope  
  
Somewhere something is calling for you  
  
Two worlds, one family  
  
Trust your heart  
  
Let fate decide  
  
Tu guide these lives we see"  
  
-Phil Collins "Two Worlds"  
  
Chapter 16: Family.   
  
Look. There. Up in the sky.  
  
Alone, he crosses the clouds. A roar of thunder follows him. Ideas, emotions flood his head and heart. He´s not sure of what will happen if he stands still. Too many feelings. So he flies as fast as he can.  
  
He´s the number one defender of our world. Years have turned him in a bitter person. He has lost so much. But there´s still the strenght of light inside of him. And he has learnt his lesson: Never to give up. Never surrender. Keep it up. Of course, he knows that it´s the hard way. But it´s the only way.  
  
Look. There. Up in the sky.  
  
It´s Superman.  
  
* * *  
  
Clark sat down on the top of the Himalayas. White was all around him. If his skin had not been invulnerable he would have feel the cruel stings of colds. A nromal man would not tolerate what was absolutely comfortable for Kal-el. Just from where he was he could see the peaks of the tallest mountains in the world surfacing in a sea of clouds.  
  
The news Bruce gave him were too much for him. He simply had to go away. Bruce could actually make him mad with anger. But he understood his reasons about keeping this in secret. Emotional involvement. Now, the leader of JLA was emotionally involved in that war. Bruce always wanted to avoid that. Still, he told Clark the truth. Bruce only wanted to save the planet and he had risked his plan by telling Clark the truth.  
  
Clark wasn´t blind. He could see the truth. Bruce was worried about him. He was protecting Clark. Bruce was always protecting everybody.  
  
"I´ve a son..." Superman said in a loud voice. The silence around him was almost unbereable. The aching lonelyness was worse than ever. But Lois was alive. Lois. He could still give his life for her. He could give his life for anyone, but he would do anything for her. She was his wife. Nothing could ever change that. And he still loved her.   
  
* * *  
  
"You did what???" Diana closed her hands into fists.  
  
"I told him the truth. I believe you like the truth, Princess." Bruce replied. All the JLA, except Superman, were standing in the back garden of Wayne Manor. And some took this news as a big shock.   
  
"Man, he´s got a son... This is going to be... Oh, man..." Kyle said in a low voice. He was not wearing his costume, just jeans and a t-shirt but he kept moving his new robot hand.   
  
"So... what´s going to happen next? Is that kid our... enemy?" Wally wanted to know.  
  
"We don´t know that much." J´onn answered. "Still we are aware that he could mean big trouble. Darkseid must have poisoned his mind. And young minds are easily corrupted."  
  
Aquaman, who was dreesed only with a green swimming suit and a white shirt, did not look like a king at all. He was all wet, having just returned from a nap at the bottom of the Manor´s pool. Still, he sounded like thunder when he spoke. Like a true king: "You two have kept so much from us. Now, you reveal that Kal´s got a son. How could you keep this for yourselves?"  
  
J´onn lowered his head a little.   
  
"We didn´t know, Arthur. We´ve ben searching for the kid for a long time but we only had rumors and speculation to..."  
  
"Oh, that´s bullshit, J´onn! Don´t give me that. I want to know what else are you, both of you, hidding from us now!"  
  
"Look, Arthur..." Wally began but Aquaman was far too irritated and pointed his hook to Wally´s face.  
  
"I´m not finished!" He walked towards Bruce and his bearded face almost touched Bruce´s. "You. Why didn´t you told us earlier? How could you do this to him? To US?"  
  
Bruce eyes narrowed. Even though he was not in his Batman suit, (he was wearing black pants and a dark gray coat) he was still intimidating.  
  
"I didn´t do anything to him, Arthur." he answered without moving a single muscle of his face.  
  
"Yes, you did! You kept things from him! From us! Something this important! Secrets! Always SECRETS! But, of course you don´t give a damn! Kal could loose his child and you wouldn´t mind because you don´t mind, you don´t know..."  
  
J´onn felt a sudden wave of anger growing in his mind. It came from Bruce´s. Still his voice showed no emotion. The Martian knew confrontation was inevitable.  
  
"Careful, Arthur." Bruce said.  
  
"You don´t know a damn thing about the death of a son..." Arthur´s speech was cut when Bruce´s fist sank into the Atlantean´s stomach with the strenght of a hammer. Arthur fell on his knees only to get his forehead hit by Bruce´s knee. Aquaman fell back with both pain and confusion reflected on his face.  
  
"Don´t you dare lecture me about lost family, punk. Don´t you dare tell me I do not know about dying sons. You´re not the only one who had to go through that. Do you hear ME?" Bruce was almost growling. Flash and Wally gave one step backwards at the same time.   
  
Arthur stood up, blood was coming out from his nose. "You can´t afford to judge me, or anyone for that matter. You´re one paranoic bastard, Wayne and you know it. You´ve been lying to us..."  
  
"Arthur, shut up. Or will make you do it."  
  
"You can´t talk to me like that. I´m the King of Atlantis. I´m stronger than you and faster too. And I´ve just took a bath..."  
  
Arthur moved and managed to punch Bruce on the face twice making him fall to the ground. Bruce stood up inmediatly. Blood came out from his mouth. Darkness had covered his expresion. He was the Bat now.  
  
"See. I could easily kill you, Wayne. You´d better know who are you talking to."  
  
Bruce smiled. A smile so cold that J´onn wondered what kind of feeling was behind it.  
  
"You talk too much, Arthur." With a sudden move, Bruce grabbed a sharp rock from the ground and hurled it towards Arthur. It hit the Atlantean´s knee and got stuck there. Arthur left out a moan of pain and charged against Bruce but he was not there anymore.   
  
"Where in hell???"  
  
"Behind you." Bruce´s voice said on Aquaman´s hear. He grabbed the King of the seven seas by the neck and hurled him against some rocks. Arthur felt it, but in a couple of seconds was back on his feet ready to continue the fight.  
  
"Orin! Stop!" Diana shouted.  
  
"Not until I´ve given him what he deserves..." Aquaman answered while he ran towards Bruce who was ready for reaction. But he did not get there. Diana jumped in the middle of them and with one hand, using Orin´s own strenght, sent him back the way he came.   
  
"I think I told you to stop, Arthur."  
  
"Diana, don´t you get in this." Bruce said.  
  
"You should stop too, Bruce. I´d not hesitate on send you packing if I have to. Do you get my point?"  
  
Bruce was ready to answer when J´onn interrupted him. "I think that´s enough, kids. Unless you want me to get all mean and green."  
  
"Hey! He stole my joke!" Kyle told Wally.  
  
"YOUR joke?" Wally answered.  
  
"Now. You´ll apologize to Bruce, Arthur."  
  
Aquaman stood up looking at Wonder Woman with surprise on his face.  
  
"Are you kidding?" He managed to say.  
  
"You´ve said some very awful things to him. He has been a friend, your friend, for years. Say you´re sorry, Arthur."  
  
"I will... NOT!"  
  
"Just let that punk come." Bruce said.  
  
"Enough!" J´onn told him. "Calm down. Both of you. This is childish."  
  
"I´m not the one keeping secrets from us, I´m not the one who is guilty of paranoia!" Aquaman told J´onn.  
  
"You´re the one who escaped to safety in Atlantis, Arthur." Bruce said. "I´ve been fighting a war."  
  
"Bruce!" Diana´s eyes opened wide.  
  
Arthur´s face got red on a sudden. "You think you´re so much better than me. You think you´re superior, uh, Wayne? Is that so?" Wonder Woman contained him.  
  
"No, Arthur. Just more interested on this planet than you are."  
  
"Why you..."  
  
"Not more fighting." a voice above them said. They all looked up. Diana smiled. He was back.  
  
"We must stand together or we all fall. We are allies not enemies. We are friends." Superman said as he made his descent from the sky. He landed between Bruce and Arthur. "We are friends" he repeated.  
  
Bruce and Arthur looked at him. Clark had a strange glow on his face. Like he had taken the beating of his life and recovered. All with a smile. Superman placed his hands on his comrade´s shoulders. "We are family. We fight side by side. Thank you, Arthur for leaving your home and coming with us. Thank you, Bruce for caring so much. You´ve been protecting us all."   
  
Wally and Kyle gave each other a look. The good ol´ blue was back. Like, something inside of him, his spirit, had been cleaned up. And now it was good as new.   
  
Arthur seemed ashamed and his eyes met Bruce´s. The rage was suddenly gone in both of them. J´onn felt that and was relieved. Arthur extended his hand and Bruce took it. They shook hands.  
  
"Side By Side." Aquaman said.  
  
"Family." Bruce replied.  
  
"All for one." Superman reckoned.  
  
"It´s a ´Kodak´ moment..." Kyle said.  
  
* * *  
  
Dr. Fate and Madame Xanadu were at Fate´s tower. That tower was placed somewhere else. Some place where only the greatest magicians could go.  
  
"This is bad, Xanadu." Dr. Fate said looking at his crystal ball. Xanadu joined.  
  
"Desaad. Oh, I hate that guy. What´s he doing on Earth?"  
  
"Nothing good for sure. They´ve got Pariah. I still don´t understand why he´s here."  
  
"Pariah? I don´t like that guy either. He gives me the creeps."  
  
Dr.Fate made a sound in agreement. "Maybe we give other people the creeps too. That´s what my wife used to say."   
  
"So? What are we gonna do?"  
  
"I don´t know. Desaad in Earth is a very bad sign. Darkseid must be ready for offensive."  
  
"Any suggestions?"  
  
Dr. Fate closed his hand Desaad´s image dissappeared from the crystal ball.  
  
"Yes. We will go on a little trip."  
  
* * * 


	17. Storm Of The Century

"I am a question to the world

Not an answer to be heard

Or a moment that's held in your arms

And what do you think you'd ever say?

I won't listen anyway

You don't know me

And I'll never be what you want

Me to be

And what do you think you'd understand?

I'm a boy, no, I'm a man

You can't take me, and throw me away

And how can you learn what's never shown?

Yeah you stand here on your own

They don't know me, 'cause I'm not here

And I want a moment to be real

Wanna touch things I don't feel

Wanna hold on, and feel I belong

And how can the world want me to change?

They're the ones that stay the same

They don't know me, but I'm still here"

John Rzeznik - "I´m still here".

Chapter 17: Storm of the Century.

Inside the Batcave there are these tunnels. It´s a damn labyrinth down there. If you get lost there you could spend more than a week looking for a way out. Hey! Let´s check it out! Come on, don´t be afraid. You´re with me. Your eyes must accept darkness first. It´s not a pretty place but you´ll never forget it. Let´s go.

There. Just there, sitting in the darkness you can see his shape. Yes, he is a man. Who he is you ask? Well, he´s the owner of the manor but he likes this place better. Crazy you say? Maybe but watch further. He´s meditating. What? No, I don´t have a clue about what. If you look carefully, you´ll see the scars on his body. Pretty impressive, uh? From what I know he´s been fighting crime for a long time. Now he fights invaders from space.

Yes, he is Batman. And something is burning inside of him. He has suffered so much in his life. His life has always been based on others safety. Why? A mugger shot his parents when he was a kid. He saw it. The case was unsolved and he never caught the killer. He trained for years until he could become the ultimate crimefighter. He accomplished that but the price was a life of lonelyness. Ironic. He has been defending family for so long and he could never enjoy the one he once had. Now he´s alone again.

For now.

You see... there´s this woman. She is really something. She is a warrior. Wait, she´s a woman allright. But she is also a warrior. You wouldn´t want to mess with her, believe me. Still, she´s a creature of light. And light cannot exist without darkness. I know, I know it sounds pretty cheap. But it´s true, see. Light needs darkness. Darkness needs light. And something that took years to cook it´s now ready to eat. Still, maybe he does not want to eat it.

What do you say? Maybe she´s not the right woman? You´d really be surprised.

Apokolips.

There´s not a place more god fearing than that planet. There´s filth and disease everywhere. The pits, higher than mountains, burn hotter than the hottest of earth´s volcano. The people that live there knowm each day is a war for survival. Still those hungry dogs never forget who´s their master. Their maker. Their God. Darkseid.

Inside the gigantic palace (it does not look like a palace but it is one) the Dark God waits on his throne. He´s angry but anger has never managed to drive him. He´s not the same since he found the secret of anti-life. He´s more powerful now, and he´s waiting. Darkseid has always believed that patience is the road to victory. He´s absolutely right.

The God opens his hand and a flash of red light emerges from it. The light becomes a circle and then he looks inside. He sees that Dr. Fate is planning something. Something in the world of spirtis maybe? Darkseid knows Fate is dangerous. Soon, the lord of Apokolips has decided what to do.

"There." Superman said. "There´s a full squad of parademons ahead of us, Kyle. How do you feel?"

"I´m sure this is not going to be a problem, boss." Kyle answered trying to keep it up with his flight. "I really want to see how this new hand works with those bastards."

"Remember, we need the leader alive. He´s the one that has some of the codes we need to get into their fortress."

"Sure. Did you ever imagined we would end killing? I mean, they are not human beings but they are still living creatures... I hate them all but aren´t we... sinking the bottom?"

"I understand how you fell, Kyle. But remember this is a war. It´s our race or theirs and things are not like in the old days."

"I know, Superman. And you know what? I miss those times. I really do. Heh, we fought during the day back then."

Superman nodded.

"I also miss those times, Kyle."

They flew in silence for a couple of seconds. The Superman´s eyes got red.

"Attack!" Clark ordered and he and Kyle threw themselves into the horde of Parademons who were not ready for that surprise hit.

Diana put her foot on the tatami. Dressed only with a black top and a gray jogging, Wonder Woman moved with speed and grace fighting imaginary enemies with a speed Hermes himself would envy. Then the voice spoke behind her.

"Not bad at all, Princess."

"Oh, and you keep sneaking up on me. Good night for you too. Do you want an applause?"

Bruce was wearing a Bat-suit but no cape and cowl and no belt either. He joined her on the tatami.

"You know, I like this training room. It´s so dark and gritty. It´s so YOU." Diana jested.

"Do you want to train with me?"

"Oh, like we used to do years ago, remember? I do remember how you had to swallow your pride, Bruce."

"I want a rematch, Princess." Bruce said with no apparent interest.

"Every time you want."

Bruce streched a little without looking at Diana who was very curious about the whole situation.

"All right, let´s get into it." Bruce made the bones of his neck sound and his eyes brighted a little. Diana gave two steps back without noticing she had done so. Bruce was the Bat now. And that could affect people around him.

"You want to fight with me now?"

"Yes. Use all your strenght and try to defeat me, Diana. If you do I´ll give whatever you want."

"Maybe you think you´ve got something I want. Such an ego! You´re crazy to make that kind of offer to a woman like me, mister. But I will play along. I only want one thing and you could give it to me without a fight... But that´s not the idea, right?"

Bruce´s face was covered with darkness. "Right."

"Well then, let´s go! First one to die, loses!"

DIANA

Amazing. It doesn´t matter how powerful I am he´s fast and he anticipates almost every move I make. Whoa! How did he do that? Well, he´s not going to get away easily from me. But maybe... Maybe I´m trying to fight so hard because I don´t want to hurt him? Or maybe because I know that if I get what I want he will give it to me. And I´m afraid of that. Am I?

No. I´m the Princess of Amazons, I´m a warrior, and nothing scares me. I will show him who I am. He´s brave and smart but he´s only a human being. He cannot avoid my blows forever, can he?

Oh, how did he do that? Again?

BRUCE

Such ferocity on her face. Such power, such grace. Maybe this is the only way it can be. I never thought you cared for me. I thought you liked the boy scout better. Or Arthur. How can I compite with that? Still, I can´t tell you. I can´t tell you a thing. I´m just a man against a goddess. Oh, that was close.

DIANA

Why can´t I get a clear shot? He keeps avoiding the full force of my blows. Wait. He is not striking me back, he is only receiving what I give him. Let´s try another way then...

Diana moved her leg and used her hip to hurl Bruce to the other side of the tatami. He was back on bis feet in a couple of seconds but she had surprised him. "Come on, Come on!" Diana yelled. This time Bruce did attack and used aikido to make her fall on her back on the thick firm mattress. She grabed the lower part of his leg and pulled. Bruce fell face down at her side. Their sights met for a second and then she jumped on top of him trying to keep Bruce on the floor.

"You´re NOT going anywere, pretty boy!"

"That´s what YOU think!" Bruce answered with a menacing voice. He actually managed to move even though Diana was keeping him still. He managed to get one of his hands free.

"I´m not impressed, baby..." Diana teased but she was suddenly taken by her neck and fell back into the tatami. Now Bruce was on top of her.

"Surrender, lady?"

"I will never surrender to you, little man." Diana tried to release herself from his grip but, somehow, when she used her strenght it was more difficult to get release herself.

His face came closer, his lips almost touching hers. She could smell his sweat and feel the heat coming up from his skin. She frowned.

"Looks like you lose, Princess."

"Oh, I think you´ve shredded my top..."

Bruce opened his eyes and in that moment of doubt she felt how his grip softened. Diana used that instant to move herlegs, trap him and roll over him. Bruce was under her again.

"Now, you´ve lost, big guy. And now I want my prize."

Bruce looked at her with resentment and anger. But, suddenly, he started to laugh. Diana´s eyes opened wide.

"Now" -she said as she got up- "I´m not sure when was the last time I heard you laugh. Maybe this is the first time? I don´t know... But it´s a weird show."

"You act like a young girl: ´I´ve won, give me my prize´. That kind of spoiled attitude."

Diana frowned. "I beg your pardon. I´m not spoiled and you´d better learn to loose to me."

"That´s fair, Miss Superpowers. What prize do you want?"

"Oh... perhaps later. We should take a shower first."

Bruce opened his mouth a little but no sound came out of it.

Diana raised an eyebrow and smiled in a wicked way.

"Separate showers, Bruce."

"Oh..." Bruce seemed uncomfortable with the situation. Diana came closer to him.

"Maybe... I can ask for my prize now, Mr Wayne. I just want you to answer a simple question. For one time in your life you must not avoid the answer. I want to know something that´s very important to me, understand?"

Bruce nodded but no one muscle from his face moved.

"Fine, then. Bruce this what I want to know: Do you have feelings for me?"

Silence reigned from the following sixty seconds. Diana looked at Bruce and she could almost see the great deal of effort it took him to open his mouth and articulate the word.

"Yes."

"Oh. Did you plan to tell me? I mean, sometime in the next ten years, perhaps?"

"No." he answered in a low voice.

"Why I´m not surprised, Bruce?" she touched his face but he moved back.

"No. This isn´t right."

"Why not? The world is destroyed and for the first time I have hope. I have hope in us all. I believe in us. I believe in you, Bruce."

"I´m not good at this. I´ve got a... rare gift. Every woman I´ve loved got away from me and I´m quite aware of my own limitations..."

"What? What did you say?" Wonder Woman interrupted him.

Bruce seemed confused and looked at the amazon for a couple of seconds.

"That I´m quite aware of my..."

"No! before that!"

"I..."

"You said ´every woman I´ve loved´. What does that mean? Do you love me?"

"Wait, I don´t think..."

"Don´t try to avoid this, Batman..."

"Diana, please."

"DO YOU LOVE ME, BRUCE?" Wonder Woman yelled.

Oh, the amazon. The warrior. She could make a stone bleed if she wanted to.  
Yes, she could.

Bruce (Batman) frowned and said in a very low voice:

"Yes."

Diana´s mouth opened wide. It took her a couple of seconds to notice Bruce was panting a little. Like he had just made a terrible effort. And he had, actually. She came closer again but he didn´t move this time. His eyes were stuck on hers and he seemed quite angry with himself.

"I love you too, Bruce."

She kissed him and he barely reacted for a moment. But then he took her by the waist and kissed her back with passion.

"You son of a... I love you." she whispered on his ear when he was kissing her neck. Wonder Woman closed her eyes and enjoyed that. "Wait wait wait..." she made him stop.

"What? What?"

She took his hand and took him to the big bathroom behind the training room. She opened one of the showers and hot water began to run. Diana kissed Bruce again and turned her back on him. She took off her black top and Bruce was marveled with her perfect back. The soft line of her spine was a road to heaven.

The amazon took off her jogging too and got under the water.

"Come on, come here with me." Wonder Woman called him.

Bruce looked down at the clothes at his feet. He closed his eyes for a second. Then he took off his outfit and joined her under the water.

Love. Why not love. There´s always a place for love in all of us.

And there, under the water, maybe one of the few place in earth where a person could get a decent shower he gave in to her. He promised in silence to love her forever.

Upstairs in the manor, Wally finished his meal.

"Have you seen Batman and Diana, Alfred?" Flash asked.

"Not in a while, Master West. I think they are down at the cave in a heavy training session."

"Hmmmm. That pair will never get along well, that´s for sure. Still they insist on training together!"

Alfred picked up Wally´s dishes.

"Perhaps they have the urge need to express their disgust for each other..."

"Yeah. Maybe that´s it. Also I´m quite sure they will end killing up each other."

"Maybe they are killing each other right now, Master West."

"Sure. Nothing I´d care less to see." 


	18. Ghosts

Is everybody in?  
  
Is everybody in?  
  
Is everybody in?  
  
The ceremony is about to begin.  
  
WAKE UP!  
  
You can't remember where it was  
  
Had this dream stopped?  
  
Awake  
  
Shake dreams from your hair  
  
My pretty child, my sweet one.  
  
Choose the day and choose the sign of your day  
  
The day's divinity  
  
First thing you see.  
  
A vast radiant beach in a cool jeweled moon  
  
Couples naked race down by it's quiet side  
  
And we laugh like soft, mad children  
  
Smug in the wooly cotton brains of infancy  
  
The music and voices are all around us.  
  
Choose they croon the Ancient Ones  
  
The time has come again  
  
Choose now, they croon  
  
Beneath the moon  
  
Beside an ancient lake  
  
Enter again the sweet forest  
  
Enter the hot dream  
  
Come with us  
  
Everything is broken up and dances.   
  
The Doors - The Ghost Song.  
  
Chapter 18: Ghosts.  
  
Xanadu looked around and then focused on Dr. Fate who was beside her.  
  
"Ok. I give up. Where are we?"  
  
They were standing (were they actually standing?) on a dark place. But that dark place had also light. Light above them, darkness below. No, wait. Darkness above them, light below. Or so it seemed.  
  
"The world of spirits, Madame Xanadu." Fate answered.  
  
"I know quite a lot about this world, but I´ve never been here before. Or is this some part of that world that has never been revealed to me?"  
  
Dr. Fate´s eyes brighted behind his golden helmet as he seemed to be looking for something. Or Someone.  
  
"This is a forbidden spot in this reality. Still, I´m not sure if this is wise. We are dealing with the heavyweights."  
  
"Heavyweights? And that make us...?"  
  
"Let´s just say we´re out of our league here..." Fate answered with a hint of fun on his voice.  
  
Xanadu felt cold in a sudden. Then she was freezing. Something in the air (air?) was strange. The smell. Xanadu was sure she smelled roses. Roses in that place? It was dark. Darkness was all around them now. Than it was not cold anymore.  
  
"Ah. There. At last." Fate said.  
  
Darkness moved around them. Madame Xanadu and Dr. Fate knew something big was under them. Something very, very big. Xanadu grabbed Fate´s hand. He looked at her and nodded.  
  
"Don´t worry. Don´t be afraid... yet."  
  
"I know this power. It has been a long time since I´ve met..."  
  
Reality trembled around them. Beams of light shredded the black cape of darkness that engulfed them and green rays invaded the place. They felt how an invisible hand took them from under their feet and elevated them. Darkness opened, like a new wound but it was white instead of red, and Fate and Xanadu realized they were looking at something very, very big.  
  
"What´s... what´s? Oh, my God. It´s..."   
  
"Hush, Xanadu. He´s opening his eyes."  
  
Feel it. Feel him. Prey for the dead.  
  
The Spectre had arrived.  
  
* * *   
  
Superman and Kyle met with J´onn back at the manor.  
  
"That went well." J´onn said.  
  
"Yes. We´ve got some of the codes. I think is in this parademon belt." Superman hurled it to the Martian that catched it before it touched the kitchen´s floor.  
  
"Did some of them escape?" J´onn asked but he already knew the answer.  
  
"No." Kyle said. "If you excuse me, I need some sleep."  
  
Superman sat in front of J´onn who was eating his Oreos.  
  
"Do you Want to talk about it?"  
  
Clark moved his head with doubt. Then he took one of the Oreos in the bowl and took a small bite.  
  
"I´m not sure..."  
  
J´onn talked anyway.  
  
"You´re under pressure. You´re afraid. You just found out you have a son and you´re afraid to lose him."  
  
"Easy thing. You can read minds..." Clark said.  
  
"I´m not reading your mind right now. I can see it in your eyes. If you want to know I really think Lois is alive."  
  
"I don´t know about hope at this moment, J´onn. I´ve never thought it could come to this."  
  
"This is war. Rules have changed. We have all changed."  
  
"All the people that have died. Killed by Darkseid´s parademons. We cannot fight an army of monsters. I´m not sure if we are saving humanity or damning it."  
  
"Batman and I have been fighting for years. We´ve been lucky so far. If there´s such a thing as luck. In Mars we liked to think fate is what you made it to be."  
  
"Well, you put it so easy. I just don´t know what to believe in anymore."  
  
J´onn smiled and threw an Oreo to Clark who took it in the air. The man of steel ate it.  
  
"Believe in yourself. I believe in you. You´re our leader and you´re capable of bringing victory to us. You must recover your confidence. The one that made you a champion."   
  
Superman smirked with irony.  
  
"So, you don´t believe I´m a champion anymore, J´onn?"  
  
"You´re wrong. I believe you still are. It is you who must rediscover that."   
  
"But I´ve failed..."  
  
"We all failed in saving this planet. We will not fail when we recover it."  
  
* * *  
  
"WHAT DO YOU SEEK IN THIS PLACE?"  
  
The voice was so loud Xanadu thought her brains were going to pop out from her head. She covered her ears trying to ease the pain. Fate was not impressed.  
  
"It´s me, old friend."  
  
Silence.  
  
"AH. THE FORMER LORD OF ORDER. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"  
  
The Spectre was suddenly standing (if there was actually a floor in that place) in front of them. His body was white as salt and a long cape was around him. His face was a dead man´s face.  
  
"I like you better than your replacement, Jim. Where is he?"  
  
This time the voice was almost human.  
  
"Hal Jordan has finally found his place at heaven."  
  
"I´m glad. It´s been a long time. Where have you been?"  
  
The Spectre moved around them as a blurry shadow. He seemed to be everywhere. And he was.  
  
"My lord has ordered me to stay in limbo until the balance is restored."  
  
Fate moved his head.  
  
"You can´t interfere then... Am I right? You´ve got your green hands tied up?"  
  
Something sparkled in the Spectre´s eyes but whatever it was, dissappeared.  
  
"Such insolence. But then, I like you Nabu. As I like The Other One. The Other One is my favorite."  
  
"I know. I have not seen him for almost ten years."  
  
"The Other One will come when he is really needed."  
  
"Who is the othe..." Xanadu whispered but Fate´s look made her shut up.  
  
"We need you, old friend. The world needs you."  
  
The Spectre was suddenly behind (in front of) them. A green ghost, a piece of mist.  
  
"I can´t. Nabu, you are now the face of order in the world as Vandal Savage Chaos´. We can´t have two forces of Order at the same time. The balance. Chaos could make things worse than what they are."  
  
"Haven´t you felt it? Darkseid has something ready for the world. Something even worse than parademons and peacemakers."  
  
"I know. Still, I can´t become involved. Humanity gave up in God a lot of time before Darkseid attacked them."  
  
"So you will not help us???" Xanadu asked.  
  
"You still have hope if you find the one who is both evil and good. If you make him help you Chaos would be confused. Sometimes the best good could be hidden into the worst of creatures."  
  
"Spectre, please..." Fate said.  
  
"Find good and evil. Find good. Find bad. And that could make Chaos fail. And that could turn the tide to your favor when the shadows arrive."  
  
Xanadu was sweating. She was not happy with the situation. Not at all.   
  
"What do you mean???"  
  
The voice was that of thunder again. And the pain inside Xanadu´s head returned.  
  
"FIND GOOD. FIND EVIL. FIND HIM AND THE TIDE WILL TURN. AND YOU´LL BE READY WHEN THE SHADOWS ARRIVE. THE SHADOWS ARRIVE. THE SHADOWS ARRIVE. ARRIVE.ARRIVE.ARRIVE.ARRIVE..."  
  
And the Spectre was gone.  
  
Xanadu put her hand on Fate´s shoulder who was trembling with impotence.  
  
"Do you know what he was talking about?"  
  
For the first time Xanadu heard doubt in Fate´s voice.  
  
"I have no idea."  
  
* * *  
  
He has dreams sometimes.   
  
In his dreams the planet is not dead. He´s still a hero and takes care of the good people of the world. He´s the Green Lantern of the Earth. But that night Kyle was not dreaming. He was not even sleeping although he was tired as hell.  
  
Lying awake on his bed Kyle felt someone was watching him. Something around him, something that was very Help close but at the same time was very far from him. Kyle didn´t know why he was sure he was Help being watched.  
  
He stood up and looked around. He was sure he had heard someone (something). Kyle felt a sting of pain where is hand used to be. The mechanical piece that replaced it moved and scratched Kyle´s head. What the hell was  
  
HELP HELP HELP  
  
going on? He could not put his finger on it but  
  
SHADOWS ARE COMING SHADOWS ARE COMING  
  
he was really not alone. Someone was there with him. J´onn maybe? No. Not J´onn. Someone else.  
  
Then Kyle turned and saw him. A naked man with gray hair and gray eyes. His face was that of a young man but the shadows under his eyes showed he was very old. The naked man (at least he seemed naked, some kind of halo was around him and Kyle couldn´t be sure) extended his hand towards Green Lantern and his lips made a silent request.  
  
HELP  
  
"Oh, Christ!!! Who are you what do you want???"  
  
The mouth of the ghost moved and formed one more word. In silence. Kyle tried to read his lips but he was not quite sure of what that shadow was saying. Light invaded the place, there´s was a sound, like a far away scream, and Kyle found himself lying on the floor.  
  
He had a headache. Who the hell was that? What did he wanted there? Then, in his mind, Kyle realized he knew.  
  
"Pariah." Kyle said to himself. "Pleased to meet you." 


	19. Open The Door

My baby makes me proud, Lord don't she make me proud  
  
She never makes a scene by hanging all over me in a crowd  
  
'Cause people like to talk, Lord, how they love to talk  
  
But when they turn out the lights, I know she'll be leaving with me  
  
And when we get behind closed doors  
  
Then she lets her hair hang down  
  
And she makes me glad I'm a man  
  
Oh no one knows what goes on behind closed doors.  
  
My, behind closed doors.  
  
My baby makes me smile, Lord don't she make me smile  
  
She's never too far away or too tired to say "I want you"  
  
She's always a lady, just like a lady should be  
  
But when they turn out the lights, she's still a baby to me.  
  
"Behind Closed Doors" - Charlie Rich  
  
Chapter 19: Open The Door  
  
Diana was standing in the middle of nowhere. Around her all was white. The amazon smirked.   
  
She was dreaming, of course.   
  
Then she saw it. A door. A single black door standing in the middle of that sea of whiteness.  
  
She walked towards it and stared at the door for a couple of minutes. She did the obvious, she looked behind it. there it was, the other side. So, it was clear that she could open the door and stay in the same place. After all it was only a door.  
  
Diana knew that if she opened the door it would not lead to the same place.  
  
She looked again at the door as expecting it to open all of a sudden and swallow her. It didn´t.  
  
The amazon touched it and was amazed at the feel of the material. It was not wood nor plastic nor glass.  
  
It was something else. The voice inside her mind spoke to her: "Open it."  
  
Diana was not afraid (as a matter of fact she was rarely afraid), just uncomfortable. That door was kind of haunting. She didn´t like it. Not at all. Still, she opened it gently and, in silence, the door revealed what was inside: Blackness. The other side of the place Diana was standing.  
  
The princess shaked her head. And crossed the door.  
  
* * *  
  
"This better be important. I was having a nice dream with..."  
  
"Not the right time for jokes, Wally." Superman said. "Tell us about it, Kyle."  
  
Green Lantern was standing in the middle of the kitchen. He moved his new mechanichal hand and from his ring an image came out. It was a man, a man with revolted hair and tears in his eyes. His, was the face of desperation.  
  
"This is the man I saw in my room a few minutes ago."  
  
"Well, I´ll be...!" Wally whispered.  
  
"Pariah." J´onn said.  
  
"He was crying. Asking, almost begging for help..."  
  
"Did he say anything else?" Superman wanted to know.  
  
"Yes, in my mind. That´s strange... you´re the League´s telepath, J´onn."  
  
"I´m not sure telepathy is what we are dealing with, Kyle. What did he say?"  
  
"I... I think he said something about shadows. Shadows are coming."  
  
"Pariah..."  
  
"J´onn? What´s that?"  
  
J´onn´s face was very serious. Maybe he was getting something with his martian mind.   
  
"I´d better get Batman... Things are going to get ugly."  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
Now everything was black except for the door. It was white on the other side. She was sorrounded by darkness. Diana heard something.   
  
A voice.  
  
A familiar voice. Bruce´s voice. Somewhere in the dark. She could not understand what he was saying. The Amazon had not heard anything before on the opposite side of the door.   
  
Ying/Yang? That made sense. She was on the dark side of the mind and white the door was that little piece of light in all that blackness. So... maybe this was Bruce´s mind. She was on Bruce´s side. She was outside her sight of the world and into his.  
  
"Bruce?"  
  
So dark. So much pain. She could feel it floating around, getting in her lungs, like a stinky cloud of smoke. She walked around for a few minutes and waited. For what? Diana did not know.  
  
"YOU." A deep, growling voice said all over around her.  
  
"Bruce?"  
  
"YOU."  
  
"Bruce it´s me, Diana."  
  
"YOU SHOULDN´T BE HERE."  
  
Now the voice sounded at her back and she turned quickly. What she saw was incredible: In the middle of the darkness a lighter shadow floated around. A big shadow with the shape of a bat. And Diana could see small lights inside that shape. Not a very bright light, but light at last.  
  
Diana heard two gun shots. She saw a man fall down, victim of a bullet on his heart. Then the woman. And pearls all over the floor. A little kid crying at their feet.  
  
"Mom! Dad!" he cried.  
  
"Bruce?" Diana walked towards him but the shadow in the shape of a bat devoured the boy.  
  
"Helllppppp!!!"  
  
"Bruce!!! Let him go you son of a..."  
  
Then a scream so loud Diana thought her head was going to explode. She covered her ears and looked at the mutating shadow with rage on her eyes.  
  
The shadow was now the shadow of a man. A man with a cowl and a cape. A Dark Knight.  
  
Diana looked at the shadow in front of her. It looked back with tiny white eyes.  
  
"What are you?"  
  
"I am the Bat."  
  
"The Bat. So, aren´t you Bruce?"  
  
"Yes. No."  
  
"Then what are you?"  
  
"I´m something else. I´m something more."  
  
"What? Darkness? Shadows in the mind of a good man? Poison for Bruce´s soul?"  
  
Diana was an Amazon. A princess. And Amazons are not scared easily. Still she felt a chill down her spine when the shadow laughed. A bitter laugh, but quite creepy.  
  
"I´m hope. Hope for everyone who has lost his loved ones. I´m the one who puts the trash on it´s place. I´m the eyes of justice in this now-dead world."  
  
"You´re saying you´re good, then. You´ve been part of Bruce all these years. You have not quit for a minute. What do you want, then?"  
  
"I want only one thing." the shadow answered as it moved and flew around her. She felt the air (was it air?) moving around her at amazing speed.  
  
"REVENGE."   
  
* * *  
  
In the darkness of Bruce´s room someone moved.  
  
"Wake up, Diana." J´onn said and the Amazon woke up inmediatly.   
  
"J´onn. I´m not dressed." She covered herself with the bed´s sheet.  
  
"Bad dreams?"  
  
"Not of your business. What is it?"   
  
"Trouble. Where´s Bruce?"  
  
" Well, he was here when I last looked. Why don´t you go and find him? I must put on some clothes."   
  
"I´m sorry, Diana. I came looking for him."  
  
"I´m here." a voice came out of the darkness.  
  
"Batman." J´onn said.  
  
From the corner of the room Batman came out only his white orbs were visible. Diana was amazed. When did he got up and put his costume on?"  
  
"Pariah, right?"  
  
"How do you know?" J´onn asked with a smirk on his face.  
  
"You´re the one with the power to read minds. I´ve other ways..."  
  
"Could both of you just get out? I need clothes!"  
  
"We´ll let the lady dress, J´onn. Let´s go."  
  
"Why, thank you!" Diana said with irony.  
  
* * *  
  
Walking away from the doors room, J´onn looked at Bruce.  
  
"So, there´s something going on right?"  
  
"Mind your own business, J´onn."  
  
J´onn chuckled.  
  
"At least was it what you´re expected?"  
  
"There are things a gentleman does not discuss."  
  
* * * 


	20. Eye Of The Conflict

We make war that we may live in peace.  
  
- Aristotle  
  
Chapter 20: Eye Of Conflict.  
  
The air moaned as the first boom tube opened defying time and space.  
  
Lightings and thunders were around it as an impossible entrance to a deadly place. Indeed. Then another opened nearby, and another. And another.  
  
And another.  
  
Soon the ruins of Gotham City were infested with hundreds of Parademons that came out from those dark holes, another kind of Parademons.  
  
New, young and bloodthirsty creatures from planet Apokolips. They all formed at once with breathtaking discipline.  
  
One of them, dressed in black with a cape and a mask of the same color flew around and landed in front of the lines.  
  
Then, the voice sounded around them.  
  
"My children. This is the time where we demonstrate the whole universe who is their master. You´ve made me proud more than once. Today you´ll do it again. You know who you must destroy."  
  
The incredible army stood up in silence but exploded in one single yell.  
  
"Hail, Darkseid!"  
  
The Dark Lord´s laughter was heard all over the place.  
  
"Go, then, my children. Kill them all."  
  
"Pariah?" Wonder Woman asked.  
  
"Pariah, indeed." Superman answered. "We totally forgot about him."  
  
"He was here... Doesn´t he always appear where death and tragedy are inminent?" Flash said.  
  
"Yes. I think someone might be using him." J´onn said.  
  
"Using him to get to us..." Batman sentenced. "Maybe tracing him and find us..."  
  
"But... what about tragedy and death?" We´re all alive here!" Kyle said.  
  
"We´re STILL alive... Pariah might have been used to trace us but he also warned us." Superman answered.  
  
The Batcomputer screen turned red.  
  
"Alert. Alert. Alert."  
  
J´onn move towards the computer and looked at the information on the screen.  
  
"Don´t tell me." Wally said.  
  
"An army. Parademons. Too many to count."  
  
"Let me guess: They are heading this way."  
  
J´onn nodded.  
  
"Just what we needed. What are going to do?"  
  
"Fight them, Wally." Diana answered.  
  
"First thing first. We need to seal the cave. Then we´ll go out and meet them." Batman said.  
  
"I don´t think this is a battle we can win..." Aquaman muthered.  
  
"We have no choice." Superman said.  
  
The Parademons marched on the ruins of Gotham. Their steps sounded as one as they hit rocks and debris on their way. Behind them, a huge black space ship floated on the air.  
  
INSIDE THE SPACE SHIP  
  
"Comfortable, Mrs. Kent?" Desaad asked.  
  
Inside a glass cube a tired and beaten up Lois Lane sat. She looked at Darkseid follower with sadness and hate in her eyes.  
  
"You´re crazy to do this. You´re demented."  
  
Desaad laughed.  
  
"You know you´re a very brave woman. You dare to speak to me like that. I like it. Maybe when your lover is dead we´ll have some fun together, what do you say?"  
  
"My lover, as you call him, will rip to shreds. You won´t be alive when this finishes, Desaad."  
  
Desaad sat in a strange throne and smiled at her. A smile that could only indicate danger.  
  
"Believe, Mrs. Kent. You´ll suffer every word that has come out of that beautiful mouth of yours."  
  
Desaad put his and on a switch and pressed it. His voice was heard outside by all the Parademons.  
  
"Prepare for attack. They´ll be coming soon."  
  
Lois stood up as he could feeling his legs tremble like jelly.  
  
"Your Parademons will be history, Desaad." she said in a low voice.  
  
Desaad laughed again.  
  
"You´re still such a beautiful creature. But don´t worry. I wouldn´t dare to attack them If I only had Parademons in my army."  
  
"What do you mean, you sick freak?"  
  
"You´ll find out, woman. You´ll find out."  
  
Dr Fate and Xanadu stood up again in the middle of nothing. All around them was gray, like mist.  
  
"So the trip continues. Where are we, Fate?"  
  
Fate looked around. He seemed calm but his voice sounded worried."  
  
"This is one of the aspects of the Dream Country. There´s this... kind of tunnel that comunicates it to..."  
  
"To what?"  
  
"To Hell." Fate answered.  
  
"Hell? We´re going to Hell???"  
  
"Yes, you can say so."  
  
Suddenly, the sound of steps. Soft steps that came from everywhere.  
  
"Another of your friends, Fate?" Xanadu tried to joke but she was really scared.  
  
"Not a friend. Not a foe. Here he comes. Show respect."  
  
Xanadu was ready for anything but what came out of the mist: A small blonde kid dressed with a blue shirt and shorts. Not more than five years old holding a balloon on his right hand. His blue eyes sparkled with happiness. He smiled at them. A green stone flashed in the left pocket of his shorts.  
  
"Hello. Who are you?"  
  
"Bow your head." Fate whispered to Xanadu.  
  
They did but the witch passed from fear to amusement. Her maternal instinct kicked in. She wanted to hug that kid and ask him silly questions. He was adorable.  
  
"My Lord, We´re passing through your realm only to get to our destination. Please allow us to continue."  
  
"Oh, you´re welcome here, Kent Nelson. Want to hold my balloon?" the kid said.  
  
Xanadu couldn´t help herself. She walked towards the kid and asked her like a mother asks her son if he needs help to tie up his shoes. Fate didn´t move.  
  
"What´s your name, sweetie?"  
  
The kid smiled at her and she was marveled by the whiteness on his teeth. His blonde hair was bright as gold.  
  
"My name is Daniel. I know you, Madame. You often dream with a normal life and having kids is something you desire. Your heart is good and full of hope. You´ll be always welcome here."  
  
She was startled and walked back. The kid passed her his balloon. She took it and smiled back at him.  
  
"The way is open for you, my friends. You better be careful. The place you´re going is a very unfriendly one. I´ve been there before and it was never nice."  
  
"Thank you, My Lord." Dr. Fate answered.  
  
"Go now. Sweet dreams for both of you." the kid said and vanished in the mist.  
  
The baloon exploded on Xanadu´s hand. It was full with sand. A note fell at her feet. The witch read it.  
  
"GIVE THE DEMONS WHAT THEY DREAM OF" it said.  
  
"It doesn´t make sense." Xanadu shaked her head.  
  
"It will. Let´s go. It´s good to have Lord Morpheus blessing."  
  
Dr. Fate led the way. Xanadu followed. She suddenly trusted him more than she ever trusted anyone in her life. She would follow him anywhere.  
  
Even to Hell. 


	21. Reflection

Chapter 21: Reflection.

"_Why don't you take a good look at yourself and describe what you see,  
And Baby, Baby, Baby, do you like it?"_ - Led Zeppelin

Now check this out.

Don´t worry if you´re feeling cold. It´s almost a gift to feel something like that in this place. Besides panic, of course.

There are two people here with us.  
They have faced forces that could make the best soldier in the world run home crying for his mother.

But in this place, oh, in this place everything is the worst of the worst.  
There´s nothing here for us and even though we want to escape far away from and hide ourselves under the blankets like scared little children we are also fascinated by the events that we know are going to take place in this spot.

Thank God we are with them.

Even though, in this place, you can see them nervous. They would not be here if it wasn´t absolutely necessary.

Neither would we.

Oh, look, those big deformed, obscene door are opening.

They are welcoming us.

We have been here before.

Welcome to Hell.

Inside the cave the fun was just starting.

"**ALERT. ALERT. POSSIBLE ATTACK. POSSIBLE ATTACK. ALL SHIELDS UP**."

The robotic voice just wouldn´t stop.

"_Those holograms/shields that hide the Manor are quite effective. I´m not sure finding us is going to be an easy task for them_"- Wally said.

"_They are going to make us show ourselves_." Batman replied.

"_What_?"

"_They are not coming for us. As I said before, we´re going to end facing them."_

"_Why are you so sure_?" Kyle asked.

Batman´s face was even more serious than usual. He said nothing but he pointed one finger at the big screen bin front of them. They could see someone coming out of the big spaceship in the middle of Gotham ruins. That someone was a crazy sadist called Desaad.

" _I hate that guy_." Wally said.

"_Oh, my God_!" Kyle said. "_Isn´t that_..."

Desaad smiled, like someone who knows he´s being watched. Besides him a brown haired woman was held captive by a huge parademon.

"_Lois Lane_." Wally whispered.

"_Oh, sh_-"

"Yes. That´s her." Batman said.

"_What are we going to do when he sees this_?" Wally asked.

Behind them, a red and blue blur passed. Then a rumble.

Then nothing.

He was gone.

"_He already knows_." Batman said.

Superman was flying high and he felt his muscles trembling.

He felt the need to destroy everything in his path. The woman of his life was being held by a guy that could do the most unthinkable things to her only for the pleasure of it.

The woman that left him, so many years ago.

The woman that was the mother of the son he never knew.

The woman he never stopped loving for even a second since she left.

The Last Son Of Krypton was really angry when he hit the hordes of Parademons.

And he was completely alone.

_That idiot_!" Batman growled.

"Emotional involvement." J´onn said.

In the screen they watched Superman using his heat vision against his enemies and paredemons dropped down like flies, screaming.

"_Let´s hit them hard_!" Aquaman said.

"_I´m going after him_." Diana said.

"_Wait. We can´t go on full disclosure, like amateurs_." Batman said. "_Diana, J´onn: go over there and help Superman. And don´t hold back with those bastards_."

Wonder Woman and J´onn got out of there while Kyle looked impatient.

"_How about me_? I could be of great use over there!"

"_Yes, Lantern. That´s why I think you should stay here_".

"_I don´t get it_".

"_Your will is what makes your ring work, but it will be no match against HIS will_."

"_What are you talking about, Bruce_?" Aquaman asked.

Batman sat down in front on the screen and pressed a button. An image of Desaad holding Lois Lane by the hair appeared.

"_Lois is the decoy. That´s why I sent Diana and J´onn. Maybe they have a chance of rescuing him_."

" _´Him´._..?"

"_I could run over there and take Lois_..." Flash suggested.

"_No. The shield around Desaad is too strong for you. Perhaps too strong for Clark too. Desaad is not going to let it down because his plan is other_."

"_So, we stay here while Superman, J´onn and Diana fight the parademons_?"

"_Something like that, Kyle. Until the moment comes_..."

"_What moment_?"

"_The surprise_."

"Kal_! Stop it! you can´t let your emotions put Lois in danger like this_!" Wonder Woman shouted.

Superman did not answer, he kept pounding at the desperate parademons, kept hitting their skulls against each other´s.  
Four parademons fell in flames when he hit them with heat vision.

"_J´onn, you have to calm him down. He´s going to get himself killed_!" Diana said.

The martian was almost not moving using the power of his mind to make parademons go against their own.

"_I can´t, Princess. He´s cutting loose all of his rage. I´m not strong enough to hold him back_."

It was then when it happenned.

The leader of the parademons, dressed all in black, his face covered with a mask of the same colour, jumped from the ground and hurled himself towards the Man of Steel at full speed.

Superman had his air knocked out of him and flew backwards but it did no good to him because the parademon came back from above hitting him hard on the back of his head.

Superman fell down to the ruins under him. He landed hard on his back and the ground trembled. He was soon sorrounded by parademons but they wouldn´t make a move.

Superman got up, feeling a little dizzy. He looked around. The parademons were looking at him like hungry hyenas but they were not attacking.

"_C´mon! Are you afraid of me_?" Superman yelled to them.

"_No, you big idiot_." A voice said above him coming down from the sky.  
It was the parademon leader.

He landed in front of Superman who was astonished.

"_They are afraid of ME_!" the parademon said taking off his mask.

Superman´s eyes widened when he saw the face that was revealed to him.

"_You. You´re... you´re..."_

The black haired kid that was in the black suit smiled at him. At smile that was too much like his old man´s.

"_I am your son. Mark Johnathan Kent_."

Superman could not answer. His own son attacked him with a fury that was alien to him.

"_Excuse me if I turn on the heat, dad_!" the kid said as he hit Clark with heat vision.

Superman felt that and fell down on his knees. He could smell his own burnt hair.

"_Son... no_..."

But Mark delivered a kick to his stomach that almost made him faint.

"_You know, old man..._" the kid said "_I´ve been waiting for this_."

So this is Hell.

Those are the damned that scream and beg for mercy, that beg for retribution.  
That claim they are guilty and they deserve it.

Some say they are innocent.

And all these demons around us, ready for destruction, ready to rip us to shreds.

Then we feel the presence, and they do too because they go back even though they are still growling and drooling and wanting to rip us to pieces.

The demons are scared.

The demons are silent.

The thing they are looking at, the images that has stopped their urge to kill is product of the power of the former Lord of Order.

That´d give us some time.

He has been here before.

Dr. Fate.


	22. Death Strikes

CHAPTER 22: DEATH STRIKES

_"This could be the last time." - The Rolling Stones. _

_"Soy un cowboy, nena. Que llega para la cena. Es muy grande, vieja. El fuego que me condena." - Los Ratones Paranoicos_.

-------------------------------------------------

They are The Justice League.

Seven heroes that have protected this planet and, even now, when a dark new god has taken it and claimed it as his own.

Fifteen years ago a war exploded on Earth and almost all of the heros of the world died there.  
Only a few survived.

Even though they all have endured something (personal loss, amputations, fear and shame) the big seven returned to make their final stand against the monster that began this all.

They have already defeated Vandal Savage (Chaos´ main man sent to equal Dr. Fate) even though it was the traitor Captain Atom who killed him. Atom had betrayed Earth´s heros fifteen in the Dark Battle. He was quite sure his actions were fot the greater good.

He´s dead now.

Atom had even sent Doomsday against the JLA and they managed to stop him.

Even when they lost an old friend like Black Canary they never stopped.

Because they are The Justice League.

They never give up.

They always protect.

But now their leader is facing a situation he never thought possible: fighting his own son.

Things might change after today.

Superman felt his jaw tremble as his contender hit him. He knew he was in trouble.

He knew this quite well.

His son was stronger than him.

"_You know, old man. You´re just plain pathetic. I Never thought kicking your ass was going to be this easy_!" Mark told him as he was punching his father´s face.

"_Please... Don´t_..."

"_Don´t beg, please. You sound awful. Makes me sick_."

Another blow, this time directed to Clark´s stomach that knocked the wind out of him. He fell down to his knees, dust and rocks from the ground leaping all around them, with a life of their own, each time Superman received a hit.

"_This is all for you, big guy. This time Superman will not save the day. I might keep your jacket after you´re dead. You know, I deserve something. It´s my heritage_."

"_Stop ple_-"

But Clark couldn´t continue talking. His own son was beating him up.  
There was too much pain but at least it was better than the pain that came from inside of him. That was the pain that was killing him.

If he hadn´t run away. If he had stayed and fought, maybe he could have saved his son, maybe he could have saved his wife.

"_It´s all a mess now_." Clark thought, and that idea made him feel comfortable. Comfortable with dying.

"There´s a new Superman in town, dad." Mark said. "_And he´s no boy scout_!"

INSIDE KYLE´S MIND 

The voice appeared out of nowhere and Kyle let out a single scream of pain.

Still he knew about talking with the mind. He had done that with J´onn a lot of times.

HELP HELP HELP

"_Pariah_?"

HE´S COMING HE´S COMING. I FELL INTO HIS TRAP. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN

"_Wait. Where are you? J´onn is better in this than me_."

OA. OA. REMEMBER OA. REMEMBER KRONA.

"_Krona? What are you talking about, Pariah_?"

NEVER ENDING. NEVER ENDED. IT´S STILL HAPPENNING. HE´S COMING.

"_We´ll stop him, Pariah. I promise that to you. Darkseid will be stopped_."

**THE SON MUST NOT KILL THE FATHER. IF THAT HAPPENS HE WILL WIN. WIN. WIN**.

The voice faded from Kyle´s mind. No one was paying attention to him. Somehow, J´onn had not "heard" the mind conversation Green Lantern had with The Pariah.

Maybe he wasn´t supposed to.

"Krona"? What was that? The word ringed a bell to Green Lantern but he could not remember.

Kyle shaked his head. He knew what he had to do. Every thing has a meaning. And that equilibrium worked for him too. He looked at his robotic hand and smiled.

Then he made his move.

He was away out when Wally discovered him gone.

Desaad was watching on the big monitor the fight between Superman and Mark. And he was quite excited with it. He smiled and wet his lips as he enjoyed the pain.

The pain of the others.

Lois Lane was chained near him and she could also see the battle. Tears were running down her cheek. Rage and fear where the feelings she could not control in that moment.

"_See, woman. This is what life is really about. Pain_." Desaad said.

"_You bastard. You son of a bitch. Spineless coward_." she said in a low voice. She was really tired, she was feeling sick, she was watching the two people that were the only meaning for her to live beating themselves to death.

Once Lois Lane, bold reporter.

Now a poor defenseless woman who could do nothing but cry like a baby.

And wish for Desaad to drop dead.

"_Mrs. Kent, you shouldn´t blame me. Captain Atom betrayed your husband and his friends long ago. Of course, we had to use some help. Someone we could trust. Atom was not quite the kind of man you can just trust. We needed someone to watch him and plan how to eliminate all those heroes._"

Lois Lane didn´t answer.

"_I think she´s mute now, Desaad_." a new voice in the room inside the ship said. "_I know about mutes. I don´t like them_".

Lois could not believe her eyes.

"_You? You? Oh, my God... That´s why... that´s why Atom was successful in bringing the heros down in the Dark Battle. How could you do this_?"

The man in the shadows smiled.

"_Easy. It´s what I´ve been doing all of my life. Still, thanks to me our planet is still alive, Mrs Lane. You should appreciate that. Atom was the military mind, but actually it was me who organized him_".

When Lois Lane looked back the man was not there anymore.

"_He´s going to meet the other two leaguers, woman. While your son kills your husband he´s going to take _care of the others."

"Sadistic bastard!"

"_You don´t understand, woman. This is not something I wanted to happen. It´s something prepared from the beginning of time. I enjoy it, of course, but we are part of a bigger picture. My master always says it_."

"_Your master is insane, you bastard. Darkseid is crazy and you know it_!" Lois yelled.

Desaad looked at her for a few seconds without saying nothing.

Then he exploded in laughter.

"_Darkseid… Maybe my master is not exactly Darkseid anymore. At least not the one you knew_."

"_J´onn, do something_!"

"I_... I don´t know if that´s wise, Diana. Superman has just told me to stay away. With his mind. This is between them_."

Diana looked at the martian with anger.

"_If you don´t do a thing, I´ll do something_."

Diana hurled herself from the sky towards Mark Kent.

"_Diana! NO_!" The martian warned but it was too late.

Wonder Woman received an incredible hit on her face and she flew back hitting an old building. The entire destroyed construction collapsed with violence, burying her. Kal´s son was very strong.

J´onn was busy although beating up Parademons with both his fists and his mind.

It wa_s then when he heard the voice. _

_"My, my, my. Aren´t you the green jolly giant_?"

J´onn recogniced him. He felt in his mind that someone had just arrived.

Then he felt the heat. And then he was on fire.

Another blow and Superman hit the ground.

"_Down so soon, dad? You´re dissappointing me. Where´s that courage everybody told me you had_?"

Clark looked at his son´s eyes, with his face full of bruises, blood coming out of his mouth.

"_Why? Why do you do this? Why with Darkseid? Why do you hate me_?"

"_You left me. You left and I had to grow up in Akopolis. You let them transform me in what I am. You never cared for me. At least they cared for me. At least they had the nerve to take me in._"

"_Son, it´s not true. I never left you... I... I_..."

"_Shut up_!" Mark said and kicked his father on the face. Superman was out.

"_Shut up_." he repeated. The Man of Steel lied at his feet, unconscious.

When Wonder Woman got out from under the debris she saw J´onn on the ground. He had managed to extinguish the fire on his body but he looked in bad shape.

Diana was going to help him when she received a powerful kick on her knee. She heard it crack and a sudden pain made her fall. Then she was hit on her face and she fell on her back.

Then two swords came across the palms of her hands nailing her to the ground. She let out a cry of both pain and rage.

And she saw her attacker. Son of a bitch.

"_You? Alive? I know you... You are_..."

"_Slade Wilson, at your service, amazon_."

Diana´s eyes narrowed in anger and hate.

And her attacker laughed. An insane, terrible laugh. The mask that covered his face moved slightly and the dark hole in his right eye seemed infinite as the universe itself.

"_You can call me Deathstroke_."

Deathstroke.

The terminator.


	23. Cycles

**CHAPTER 23:** Cycles

"_Saturday night is alright for fighting_." – Elton John

Wilson Slade.

Mercenary.

Soldier.

Killer.

Terminator.

He walked around the Amazon that was pinned down to the floor by two of his swords stuck across her hands. Diana knew those were not ordinary swords.

Those swords were made from some kind of alien metal from Apokolips.

She could not move. I was possible for her to let the blades do their work and shake her hands to get free. But that would hurt her even more. Maybe mutilate herself enough to be defenseless against Deathstroke.

She decided to wait.

"_I would not move if I were you, amazon." _Slade said, amused_. "Those blades can make some serious and permanent damage_."

Slade sat on a rock near the amazon and started to draw on the ground with his knife.

"_How about telling me where are the rest of you hiding_?"

Diana looked back at him with eyes filled of hate.

"_How about dropping dead, Slade? You´ve got the wrong person here. You´re the traitor here. The traitor to your race, to your kind_."

Slade chuckled. He moved the hand that was holding the knife too fast for Diana to see.

Then the knife was trasspassing her right leg just below the knee. She felt it but she did not make out a sound.

"_How about telling me now_?" Slade asked.

"_Go to hell_!"

"Already there. _You can´t win, woman. Can´t you see that? Superman is out, the martian is dying and you… You are quite in trouble. The rest of you are not trouble for me. Be smart, talk now and talk fast. I will kill you but your friends will live. Like slaves, of course, but they´ll live.. How about that_?"

"_Kill me now. I´ll never tell anything to a treacherous worm like you_".

Slade took a deep breath. He shook his head and sighed.

"_So be it._" Deathstroke said with disappointment.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**HELL**

Here, we can see that there is no place for common feelings such as hope, love, sympathy, charity or dignity. This is the place where darkness dwells. This is the place where everyday is the same, full of suffering, pain and incomprehensive terror.

Terror we could never understand. Pain no words can describe. Suffering beyond any anguish we´d ever had.

So, when a couple of strangers full of forbidden feelings appear in this place, the balance is altered. Demons are attracted to them as a moth to the fire because they want what they have. They need what they have. And If they don´t get it, they´ll destroy those feelings.

They will destroy them.

"_I´ve never felt anything like this, Fate_." Xanadu whispered as they walked through the valley of desperation.

"_And it´s even worse. Recent events have made this place bigger than ever. Still, our quest has led us here. Here is the answer_."

Xanadu trembled.

"_You mean here we will find the key that will save earth_?"

Dr. Fate moved his head under his shiny helmet.

"_I don´t think so. But we will find something that could help us level our strength. Life and death, good and evil is all about balance. The balance is always reestablished by God but_…"

A loud scream around them made Xanadu cover her ears.

"_I should have not said The Name here. Our presence is already being tolerated for more time that Hell should allow_."

"´_Should_´?"

"_I repeat, Xanadu, that even Hell has rules. We are affecting them, but the balance is on our favor now. That does not mean we could not be attacked_".

"_Please, don´t even think about it_." Xanadu begged.

"_TOO LATE, MORTALS_." – a voice roared behind them.

"_Damn it_." Xanadu said.

Dr. Fate and Madama Xanadu turned. Magic energy was flowing from their bodies, ready to battle for their lives. This was not going to be pleasant.

"_Belial_." Dr.Fate said.

"_GENERAL OF HELL, DON´T YOU FORGET THAT, YOU MAGGOT."_ The yellow demon said with hate as an army of unholy creatures slowly formed behind him.

"_Guess we´re ready to pay the price for coming to this place_." Xanadu said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_You´re wasting my time, Amazon. Even though my past as a mercenary could confuse you, I despise torture. That´s Desaad´s dirty job_." Slade said after passing a knife through Diana´s left foot. He did it with such skill not a single drop of blood escaped from the wound.

"_And you´re a coward, Slade. A traitor_." Wonder Woman said without acknowledging her new pain. "_Death is too good for you_".

Deathstroke laughed but it was a bitter, uninterested laugh.

"_I´m getting tired of you_".

"_Kill her, Slade_." Mark Kent said appearing from behind Terminator. He was carrying his unconscious father on his shoulder.

"_She must tell me first about her comrades, kid. Stay out of this_." Slade said without emotion in his voice.

"_You really are out of your mind, Terminator. Do you know who are you speaking to? I am The Son of Darkseid. I could kill you without even closing my fists_."

Deathstroke smiled under his mask.

Arrogant lad. Power could make you very sure of yourself, as Slade himself knew.

But no one could talk to the mercenary like that. Not even a half-kryptonian breed that called himself son of the Dark God.

He moved fast.

Mark Kent fell down on his knees grabbing his throat with both of his hands, choking. He coughed, and tried to get his air back with effort.

"_Don´t ever speak to me like that, kid. You might be more powerful than me but believe me when I say I can kill you. And I will if you ever disrespect me again. Are we clear_?"

Mark coughed again

"Fine_. I´m glad we had this conversation_." Deathstroke said.

"_Hey, Slade_."

Deathstroke turned, his only eye reflecting surprise.

Batman kicked him hard on the head.

"_Shut up_."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kyle reached outer space.

The voice in his head was making him feel sick.

"_KRONA. KRONA. KRONA_…"

"Shut _up! I came here, I did what you said… Now I am alone as you wanted_…"

Space around him was cold and silent. Below, mother Earth looked red as a peach on fire. Too much like Apokolips.

Too much like hell.

The ring on his artificial hand started glowing.

Kyle looked at the green light coming out of his ring. It was intense, but it had something he had never seen before. The light engulfed him in a green tube.

Green Lantern did not say a word.

He felt like that character on an old movie called "2001" where just before his rebirth as a star child, the hero was hypnotized by the stars. Kyle had never read the book, otherwise he´d be informed about a lot of events that that character has to pass before becoming the Star Child.

Then he saw nothing. All was black around him.

That was like that for a minute more or less until white light appeared before his eyes.

White, spinning light, that hurled into itself.

That was beautiful and Kyle was smiling while he saw it

Then the light was divided into little white dots, and moved faster. It was like looking the water escaping in the hole of the lavatory.

And then, from under that light a big hand appeared. A black hand. And the small orbs of light looked more like suns of different colors. The hand opened slowly and the stars around trembled as that sea of energy started growing faster.

Then, up in the middle of that nothing, a small square appeared. It was like if somebody had open a window with light on a building in the darkness.

"_Idiots_!" someone in that window said "_Your stupid legends of destruction will never stop me from learning the truth_!"

"_Krona_…" Kyle said to himself.

The hand closed, a laugh surrounded Green Lantern and he saw something that looked like an electrical storm.

Then he was surrounded by screams and white, white light.

He saw standing in front of him a man in a green suit, with a green cape and a the grin of a psycho.

"_I can make it better_!" the man yelled. "_I can make everything the way it should be_!"

Kyle tried to reach him.

"_Hal! Hal, please stop_!" he warned with a scream.

Then, another white flash blinded Kyle, and his mind was filled with images.

Thankfully, the ring managed to slow the information down, otherwise Green Lantern would have been turned insane.

"_Enthropy_." Kyle said as his ring´s green light filled everything around him.

Filled, with a strange feeling, a powerful urge, Kyle hurled himself back to Earth.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mark Kent watched with his father´s unconscious body at his feet how Deathstroke and Batman battled each other.

"_Stupid man. You can´t understand what you are doing. I will kill you for_ this." Slade said as he tried to gain some advantage.

Batman did not say a word, he only moved around. Above them, the whole army of parademons watched the fight.

"_What are you doing? Why you insist? You are already dead. Even if you defeat me, you can not stop the army of Darkseid_."

Batman hurled three batarangs at once towards Slade who dodged them effortless.

"You _are losing your skills. Those stupid gadgets of yours missed me quite good_".

Batman smiled.

"_I was not aiming at you, Slade_."

"_Right. He wasn´_t." a voice said behind Terminator.

Wonder Woman was on her feet. The blades that got her trapped by hands were broken by the batarangs. She was free. And Terminator´s fate was in her hands.

"_I can use a little of Apokolips technology on my arsenal too, Slade_." Batman said.

Deathstroke was not a coward but he knew when the tide of a battle changed, so he merely touched his own shoulder and…

BOOOOM

He was gone.

Mark Kent allowed himself a defiant gsmirk when he saw Batman walking towards him. Stupid human being.

Didn´t he knew he was Darkseid´s son? Didn´t he knew that at the moment he wanted all those parademons would destroy him and the woman?

"_I hope you come to beg me for mercy_" Kent said.

"_No I´m not_." Batman answered and hurled one single punch to the kid´s chin that knocked him out.

Superman´s son fell to the ground with all of his weight.

"_Damn_." Batman said looking at his hand.

"_Are you okay_?" Diana asked.

"_Yes. I have broken my hand only. How are you_?"

"I_´m starting to feel better, Bruce_".

"_Take us out of here. Now_." Batman said in a low voice.

Two seconds and a astonished army of parademons later neither Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, J´onn, and the young Kryptonian were there anymore.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_Those new feet of yours are working quite good, Wally._" Diana said to Flash back in the cave.

"_Five trips in two seconds. Not bad. I am feeling quite like my old self again_".

Batman put the K-ring back on it´s lead vault.

"_How is J´onn_?" he asked Aquaman who had just descended to the cave.

"_Thank Heaven he is awake. His martian metabolism will have him recovered soon. I hope that soon enough_".

"_The kid will be out for hours I´m counting on J´onn.. How about Clark_?"

"_He will be joining us in a short while He told me wanted to be alone. I think being invulnerable has nothing to do with… emotional wounds_."

"_Great Gaea_!" Diana yelled and ran towards something moving in the darkness deep in the cave.

She came back with Kyle Rayner on her arms, who looked as he had received the beating of his life.

He put him on the floor near Bruce and Arthur. The two men looked at each other.

Then Bruce moved and revised Green Lantern. He checked for Kyle´s vital signs.

"_I heard him, moan with in the darkness Then he fainted. What´s wrong with him?" _Diana asked..

Batman open his mouth in disbelief.

Then he said:

"_He is in a coma_".

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Somewhere out of time, the spirit that once was Jim Corrigan trembled.

Or something very similar if we agree that ghosts cannot tremble.

But he was no ordinary "ghost". This one was the aspect of the wrath of God.

And he felt how the situation had worsened.

The chained events that he did not foresee until then, were running faster. A disturbance in the whole universe. Time itself was at stake.

The Spectre prayed to his master for guidance.

The Final Night was coming.

The Zero Hour to the creation.

Our World was At War, but this was something new. A Darkness within.

Even a bigger invasion was coming.

Something more like a War Of The Gods.

Prepare for the Crisis.

Beware.

Beware.

Beware.


	24. The Journey Within

**Chapter 23: The Journey Within**.

_Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking_

_Can't we give ourselves one more chance?_

_Why can't we give love that one more chance?_

_Why can't we give love give love give love?_

_Give love give love give love give love give love?_

_Cause love's such an old fashioned word_

_And love dares you to care_

_For people on the edge of the night_

_And love dares you to change our way_

_Of caring about ourselves_

_This is our last dance_

_This is our last dance_

_This is ourselves under pressure_

_Under pressure_

- Queen

The room was quiet except for two noises: Kyle´s breath coming in and out of his lungs, and the strange sounds his ring was making on his new artificial hand.

Outside the room Arthur and Diana watched how the Green Lantern rested in his hospital bed. Coma. That could not be a good thing.

"_I´m amazed this house has even hospital beds_." Aquaman said.

"_Don´t be. Batman was hospitalized on his own house more than once_" Diana said. Then she looked at Kyle´s ring. It was still flashing.

"_So, do you know what´s happening_?" the Amazon asked.

Aquaman shrugged.

"_Not all of it. I´m a telepath and that ability helps me understand part of what´s going on in his mind. The ring is sending information straight into his midbrain. But that is not the only reason why he is in a coma. Something, something hit him hard. Not physically, but mentally_."

"_I have never seen a Green Lantern ring do this kind of thing_".

"_Me neither, but it´s not what I call a time of normality, Princess_" Arthur said. "_Things are moving in a strange way, don´t you think_?"

Diana looked at the atlantean who was focusing on whatever was happening on Green Lantern´s head.

"_What do you mean, Arthur_?"

"_I mean events are kind of rushing up after fifteen years of slavery. These past few weeks we´ve learnt a lot of new things. And faced many foes too_." Aquaman shook his head. "_It´s too big to think in coincidences for me_" he finished.

"_I don´t think it´s coincidence, Arthur_". Diana said.

"_Me neither_" Superman said just walking down the hall towards them.

"_Kal! How are you_?" Diana asked.

"_I´m fine, Diana. I had to rethink a couple of things. I know I must stay up, because if I let all the fear I have inside take control of me, this story will not have a happy ending._"

"_Where´s_…?"

"_Mark? He is a prisoner in the Bat-cave. Until he wakes up. Bruce built something for that´ll keep him quiet_".

Superman looked inside the room.

"_No change. I wonder what happened. Wally told me Kyle flew out of the cave without explanation_."

Wally, J´onn and Bruce arrived. J´onn looked weak but his body showed no scars of the fire he had to face at the battle with the Parademons. No one, except the martian, was wearing his costume.

They entered in the room, and stood around Kyle´s bed, forming a semicircle. From the right to the left: Arthur, Wally, J´onn, Clark Diana and Bruce.

J´onn took a deep breath.

"_You know what I´m planning to do. When I was down during the battle my mind felt something. I´m not sure what that was, but I think Kyle is the key_".

J´onn closed his eyes. The old martian seemed very, very tired.

"_I am going into Kyle´s mind, I am going to bring him back. But in my weakened state, and with his damn ring interfering on whatever is happening I can not do this alone_".

"_I need your experience_" he looked at Arthur. "_Your friendship_" he looked at Wally. "_Your inspiration_" he looked at Clark. "_Your faith_" he looked at Diana. "_Your wisdom_" he looked at Bruce.

"_We are missing the big picture here, there are other forces involved. Maybe we can shed some light into this mess_." J´onn said. "_Now, all of you, sit down and relax your minds. I am going to need you Arthur in connection with the outside world if I get lost in there_."

They sat down and they held each other´s hands. Diana noted how Clark´s hand trembled with concern and she felt Bruce hand closing tight on her´s.

The Amazon looked at Bruce´s eyes and smiled at him. His eyes were wise and sad. She could see he was not happy with the idea of letting someone in his mind and he did not like the idea of entering Kyle´s either.

And darkness engulfed them all.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**ARTHUR**

Arthur: Where am I?

Arthur: It feels so peaceful here. This place is like being inside of a cloud. What happened?

No answer.

Arthur: I am a King. So many people depend on me. My people.

Black Manta: Liar. You are not so different from me.

Arthur: You! What are you doing here? I…

Black Manta: You killed me. Without mercy. You are a killer just like me.

Arthur: I did what I had to do. My people depended on that.

Black Manta: Coward you did that for yourself. You wanted revenge for what I did to yourself.

Arthur: Child killer! We are nothing alike you and me. You hear me?

Ocean Master: You are one sick puppy, Curry, you know that.

Arthur: Why are you here? What do you want, Marius?

Ocean Master: What could I want? I´m dead. You killed me. The dead do not want anything.

Arthur: I was defending myself, I had to stop you and you knew that.

Voice: The sea. The ocean. The water gives you strength Arthur Curry. You cannot escape your responsibilities. You cannot escape what you are.

Arthur: So quiet in here. I know it is. You are nothing but voices.

Voices: Maybe the voices in your soul. Maybe you are lost in yourself, Arthur Curry.

Maybe.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**WALLY**

Wally: J´onn? Clark? Is there anybody here? What is this place? So much light. Lightings. Is this the speed force?

Jay: You are the one who carries the name, Wallace.

Wally: Jay? Jay! Jay, I have missed you so much! Jay!

Bart: I still look up to you, Wally, even though you let me die.

Wally: Bart, it can´t be. I did not let you die, it was a massacre. I did everything I could…

Barry: And it was not enough. You should have done more, kid.

Wally: Barry? You are dead! You have been dead for years.

Ollie: You are still a selfish punk, West.

Jay: And you carry the name.

Bart: The legend.

Barry: The legacy.

Wally: All of you why are you here? You can´t mean all this I´ve done…

Bart: Everything you could like…

Jay: …when you let us…

Barry: … Die.

Wally: Please, don´t say that. Please, I´m so alone. You can not understand…

Ollie: Still a selfish punk, West.

Wally: Please… please… stop.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**CLARK**

A planet explodes.

A rocket escapes carrying a precious cargo.

Clark: Krypton. This place looks so much like Krypton. Am I home? I am home.

Home.

Clark: The explosion never happened then? Everything is right. I am not the only one anymore.

Love.

Jor-El: Son. Kal-El.

Clark: Father? My father? Father, I´m sorry I never told you how much I…

Lara: We love you son. We know everything you have done. But our love will not deny that you failed in your mission. You were the protector of humanity. You gave up. And you did so because you were afraid.

Clark: I know that, mother. Don´t you think I already do? I live with the guilt. My mistakes are my own.

A planet explodes. A rocket escapes. An alien.

A man.

Jor-El: You must not be a disgrace for the house of El, son.

Clark: I´m not a disgrace!

Jor-El: You´re Superman. World´s champion. Afraid like a little boy.

Clark: I know I´ve let you down, father… but…

Lara: Superman.

Clark: I´m not Superman. I´m not Kal-El.

A man.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**DIANA**

Peace.

Peace all around.

All those voices. All that memories from the past.

They can not hurt you.

You are an Amazon.

A warrior.

Ignore them.

Find the way out.

You must let your heart guide you at these moments. You must know that what the voices say is not real.

The universe is in danger and you are one of it´s defenders.

Use the message. Remember what you already know.

Ignore the (failure!) voices.

Ignore them.

You know how they (_your own mind_) try to attack to you

Find the way out.

Peace.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**BRUCE**

Bruce: …

Thomas Wayne: Bruce.

Bruce: …

Thomas Wayne: Bruce. You´ve turned your back on everyone who loved you.

Bruce: No.

Thomas Wayne: We died for nothing then? You should have opened your heart.

Bruce: No.

Thomas Wayne: Selina. Barbara. James. Dick. Jason. Leslie. Tim. They all loved you. But you did not care for them.

Bruce: I. Say.

Leslie: You let me die. Die. Gotham was destroyed and you did nothing. I died.

Bruce: I. Say.

Dick: I miss you, dad. I miss you.

Bruce: I. Say.

Jason: You are one hell of a bastard, Bruce. You let us, your sons, die. All because of your ego. Your stupid war.

Tim: You only wanted help in your obsession. Your war, Bruce.

Dick: Dad.

Leslie: Your war not ours.

Bruce: I say this.

Selina: Bruce… Bruce I loved you… You forgot me.

Talia: Beloved. Why, why did you never cared for me?

Two gun shots. Pearls on the street. Blood.

A life is changed for ever.

Never again.

Never again.

Bruce: I say this vision.

Dick: Dad.

Jason: Egomaniac. Crazy bastard.

Tim: Your war.

Jason: … barking orders.

Bruce: I SAY THIS VISION IS A LIE.

And I reject it.

Reject It.

Bruce: AND I REJECT IT.

Bruce: I did what I had to do with the resources I had at the time. I have made mistakes, but I´m not a killer. I fight for this world and I want humanity to be happy.

Thomas Wayne: Bruce, you should…

Bruce: I know who I am, "father". And I know you are not Thomas Wayne. Just the unbearable guilty that lives in my heart. I know that.

A bat snarls and flies around the "people" that are talking to Bruce.

Bruce: I have learnt to live with that side of me. I know my darkness now. And I accept it

A boy is changed forever.

A man was born that night.

I know who I am.

I am Bruce Wayne.

Bruce: I am Batman.

Batman.

Batman.

Batman.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

J´onn felt Diana and Bruce moving along in his mind. He focused on them.

Jor-El: You have failed the world, Kal-El. You have failed Krypton and your legacy.

Clark: I am Clark Kent, Jor-El. You´re my biological father, but you are not my dad. You are not Johnatan Kent.

Johnatan Kent: Then you are free, my son. You are a not a God. You are a man. This visions cannot harm you. This visions are only the shadows of your mind.

Bruce: Overcome them.

Diana: You´re free, Clark.

Bruce: Come with us.

Clark: I am a man. I am free.

J´onn: Have faith, friends. We are almost there.

J´onn moved his hands in the clouds that were around them and pulled off Wally from nowhere,. He was pale and looked distant. Sweat was invading his forehead.

Wally: Oh, my God… J´onn? Guys? What happened I was almost… they were saying.

Clark: Nothing they say is true, Wally. It´s just your own demons.

J´onn: Thanks to Diana I could find a shed of light to guide me in the darkness of the minds. And Bruce got free on his own pretty quick too. With them both, I recovered Clark. And with the three of them, I recovered you.

Bruce: Now, we must save Arthur. He is the link with the outside world.

J´onn: Yes. His mind is the most confused because of his telepathy, my influence and that damned Green Lantern ring. Also, with his powers interfering with the ring, I need all of your help to recover him.

Diana: Let´s do it then.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**KYLE**

In the beginning there was darkness. Then, the darkness let out a scream a like a woman giving birth, and the Universe was born.

Kyle: It is comfortable in here. Silence everywhere. No one giving me orders. No pain of any kind. Even thinking is simple.

Voice: I am sorry, Kyle Rayner. I should have told you.

Kyle: Who is there? Who…?

Voice: I should have done things in other way, but there was not other way.

Kyle: I know that voice. I thought you were dead.

The blue little man comes out from the darkness, floating, his long white hair moving in the air. Air? Floating? Gravity? What is this place?

Ganthet: Kyle Rayner we are inside your mind. I have been with you since the Dark God destroyed OA, fifteen years ago.

Kyle: What? How? How…?

Ganthet: When we first met so many years ago, I gave you the very same ring you´re carrying now. In that moment I put some of my essence inside of it. Not only to be connected with you, but in case a tragedy occurred. And it occurred, when Hal Jordan almost destroyed the Universe.

Kyle: Ganthet, you were all along… I was not Pariah who was in my mind…

Ganthet: Yes. Pariah did what he did, he warned you. I chose you for a reason to be a Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner. You are the answer. You are hope for this Universe.

Kyle: In don´t understand… What do you mean, Ganthet? I´m just a man, I never asked to be a Green Lantern, I never asked to be a hero.

Ganthet: And even though pain and loss were with you all this time, you never gave up. You had the strength, the first chosen one lacked. You are the Green Lantern. The last Green Lantern in the universe. Now your mind is being filled with knowledge about the universe that we Guardians have kept in secret for eras. Such information is not for the mind of a mere human, that is why the ring has put you in a coma. There is not much time. Your friends are coming for you.

Kyle: In here? In my mind? How is it possible?

Ganthet: Yes. Friendship and loyalty has been the weapons that have kept the Dark God still confused. Even though he is draining your planet he has not destroyed it. He has discovered the secret of the Anti-life. Revealing that secret is a blasphemy, even for a "deity" like him. Still, he knows there is something else in this planet something that he needs.

Kyle: What is it, Ganthet?

-The small blue Guardian moved his lips and Kyle was getting away from him. He was speaking but Kyle could not hear-

Kyle: What? Ganthet! GANTHET!

J´onn: I´ve got you now, Kyle. Arthur, now!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Light destroyed darkness. Like a woman giving birth, he heard a scream. The Universe. Kyle felt six pair of hands around him.

Diana: We got you, Kyle.

Clark: We are here.

Wally: No one is left behind, pal.

Bruce: Welcome back, son.

Arthur: Okay, people. We´re going out. Prepare yourselves.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Light, this time than before. Kyle discovered he was in a hospital bed. He tried to sit but he had no air. He felt like choking but then his muscles relaxed, with tears of pain and exhaustation in his eyes. His six friends were all around him.

His ring had stopped doing whatever it was doing. It was finished.

"_You don´t look so hot now, man_" Wally said with a smile.

"_Thank you… Thank you_." Kyle said to all of them.

Then his mind showed him flashes of things. He felt pain in his head.

His ring started doing a strange, different noise this time.

Then it stopped.

"_Kyle? Are you alright_?" Diana asked concerned.

"_Yes. I am alright_." Kyle answered.

He sat there on his bed in silence with his friends looking at him. He could feel their love, the strength they had all put in him.

He spoke then:

"_There´s something I have got to tell all of you_".


	25. Fathers & Sons

First things first: I know from your comments and even e-mails that many of you have enjoyed this story and now must be very surprised in finding out I´ve published a "new" chapter.

The real deal is I stopped the story after the whole Infinity Crisis thing was over. I was quite p¡$$ed off because this fanfic is (as some of you, of course, have already guessed) a sequel to COIE and last year some of the surprises I´ve had planned for this story were actually done by DC Comics.

So I decided to wait until the first issue of Final Crisis was published, because The Third Hell is indeed a Final Crisis too.

So, I hope you´re ready if you enjoyed this story because, believe it or not, there is an end to it. I just hope DC´s way comes different than this.

Thank you all.

MrM.

_********************************************************************_

_You will travel far, my little Kal-El. _

_But we will never leave you... even in the face of our deaths. _

_You will carry me inside you all the days of your life. You will make my strength your own, and see my life through your own eyes, as your life will be seen through mine. _

_The son becomes the father, and the father the son._

_Jor – El_

_Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away. _

_Cat Stevens_

**Chapter 25: Fathers & Sons**

The cell was cold and wet.

The sound of rats was loud but Lois Lane could still hear Desaad yelling and cursing somewhere up.

The cell was cold, but Lois had spent the last thirteen years in the hands of Darkseid´s followers. Still, thanks to Captain Atom, nobody had laid one single finger on her. Atom was sure his husband would return, and he wanted her safe and sound to bargain with Superman.

Lois heard a door open and then a slam. She heard fast and nervous steps coming down the stairs. Twenty seconds later Desaad was standing in front of her.

Furious.

"_How did they do it? How did they got the kid_?"

"_You saw the whole scene. I had nothing to do with_ it." Lois answered, almost amused.

Desaad knew that. But he was in despair. The cursed brat should had killed off his kryptonian father without any effort. With Superman officially dead, the rest would be easy prey.

"_You are going to die, woman. And your son too_."

"_I´ve been listening that crap for the last decade. You will not kill me, coward. You´re afraid because you know that if you kill me then nothing will stop Superman. And he´ll get you. You´re scared. You know he will tear you up like the pathetic weakling you are_".

Desaad looked at her hate filled eyes. But he said nothing further. He turned his back on her and went up the stairs again. The door slammed.

The cell was cold and wet

The sound of rats was loud but Lois Lane could still hear, with a wide smile, how Desaad cursed and yelled upstairs.

And that warmed her heart.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mark Kent awoke in a small place.

The walls around were made of lead. There where also six mirrors protected with tempered steel around them. He was in the dark, except for a small ray of red light that came from somewhere above him and, with the help of the mirrors, made the place even redder.

"_Where the hell am I_?" he said to himself.

He stood up and in that moment the big door made of steel behind him opened.

Batman was standing there.

"_You got some guts to face me. That lucky punch helped ya the last ti_-"

Mark could not end his speech. Batman kicked him in the stomach so hard that he felt he was going to puke blood. The young man fell down on his knees.

"_Hurts, doesn't it, kid? That´s a simple kung –fu kick. If I wanted, I could had kicked you hard enough to leave you almost crippled_". Batman explained.

Mark was trying to answer but he could not. He had no air.

"_U-H?... H-U_!"

"_How? That´s what you´re wondering. See that red light? It´s red radiation. An artificial red sun. Now, you´re as strong as a teenager from this planet. And believe me, punk, that´s not a menace for me. Not at all. Did I make myself clear_?"

Mark was still in too much pain. Batman took the kid´s left hand with his and closed his fist on it. A bone snapped.

"_YAAAARGHHH_!"

"_I said: Did - I - make - myself - clear _?"

"_Yes_!" Mark gasped.

"_Fine_". Batman said and he put a small electronic device on Mark´s forehead. It stuck there and the kid was paralyzed. His body started convulsing and he opened his mouth in pain but, no sound came out.

"_You better ease your mind, boy. Cleaning up such a mess is not easy. But you´ll be thankful when Mother Box is over with you_."

Mark looked at Batman with wide eyes, filled with pain and surprise.

Bruce closed the door when he got out of the cell. Clark was there waiting.

"_So_?"

"_So I did what I said_".

Clark smirked. Of course, he already knew.

"_You hit my son, Bruce? Was that necessary_?"

"_Your son is an arrogant punk. I needed to put some fear in him and I did. The rest is up to mother box_". Batman said

"_You think it is possible? Restore his mind_?"

"_We can only hope. Granny Goodness´ style is precisely the opposite. Let´s see if it works the other way_."

"_You know, Bruce, I saw when you hit him. You made him afraid_."

Batman shook his head slowly.

"_Kids these days. No respect_."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Somewhere outside of time, the spirit that once was Jim Corrigan trembled.

"_**Father**_?"

The Lord. The will of the Lord.

So many pain because of His will.

"_**Father, I am sorry because I know you know what must happen but**_.."

He stopped praying. He knew it was useless. His father would not answer.

Everyone needs a father.

Everything was out of control and he could not be part of it. But he was going to be, even if he did not want to.

"_**Spectre**_". said the voice behind him.

The Spectre turned, surprised that someone could actually sneak on him. But it had happened. Who was there with him?

"_**Who dares**_…?"

"_**I do**_." The voice said.

In that moment The Spectre saw his enemy face to face. The Dark God.

"_**Your service are not longed required, ghost**_".

"_**You. You are not**_…"

"_**No, I´m not. Yes, I am**_."

"_How_…?"

A blast of pure anti-life energy hit The Spectre. And something else. Omega beams with another kind of energy.

"_It´s impossible__…__ I__…__ Am__…__ The__…__ Spectre_!!!" Corrigan yelled as something evil and powerful tore him apart.

"_**Not anymore**_."

"_YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH__!_"

In a green and white blast, The Spectre disappeared forever. Some tiny white skulls made of ectoplasm floated in the void for a few seconds before exploding too into blasts of light.

Outside of time, a figure stood watching the green and white lights bright until they faded away forever.

"_**You´re fired.**_."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kyle sat down on his bed.

His head was still in pain and he was not sure what kind of information was now inside of his mind.

The new mechanical hand was working very well. He opened and closed his robot fist and the green ring sparkled.

The League had almost lost their minds to save him.

Krona. That was the name Ganthet told Kyle.

He knew that somewhere inside his mind the answer lied.

But in that moment thinking clearly was almost impossible.

Incredible. More than a month had passed since the League reunited again. How long before this adventure came to a definitive end? A voice interrupted his effort to concentrate.

"_Hey, pal_."

Kyle was startled.

"_Wally. How´s everything going_…"

"_Right now, Clark is waiting for his son to come to his senses. J´onn is resting. Arthur swam to Atlantis. Diana is upstairs in her room. And Bruce just went up too_."

"_Wally, I know I told all of you everything that happened to me but…"_

"_It´s okay to be afraid. I´d be terrified If I were in your shoes_".

"_No. It´s no fear exactly… It´s something else… This knowledge… this kind of map of how the universe… I…"_

Wally frowned.

"_What, Kyle? What is it_?"

"_Well… My mind knows the info is there. I cannot have a good access to it yet but… I don´t think I´m worthy. This is the knowledge of a God and not the knowledge for someone like me_."

"_Ganthet gave you the information for something, my friend_".

"_The Guardians are known for making mistakes too, Wally. Remember the Manhunters? And Hal Jo_…"

"_That´s enough, Kyle. I get yout point_".

Kyle frowned.

"_I… just don´t want to be a menace, Wally… You know what they say about absolute power_…"

"_Yes. But you got your heart in the right place_."

Kyle did not answer.

"_I hope you are right_." he thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bruce took off his mask and looked at the painting on the wall of his bedroom. Thomas and Martha smiled back to his son.

"_I am tired, father._" Batman said to his dead parents.

"_You can give up if you want, Bruce_." Diana said.

"_How long have you been in here, Princess_?"

"_Five minutes. I´ve been waiting for you_".

She placed her hand on his shoulder. He did not move.

"_You can still walk away from this, Bruce_".

"_Are you asking me to quit, Princess? You? A warrior_? This is the end of the world."

"_No. I´m asking you to endure. I want you to live_."

"_Why_?"

"_Because I love you. I am a warrior and I am not afraid of my feelings, Bruce. I know you won´t quit. Because this is what you do. In my childhood my mother told me not to get involved with humans. ´You deserve a God´ she used to say.. But there is no one like you in the God´s pantheon. And I do not want to be with anyone else_".

Bruce put his mask back on.

"_You know that I will never quit. Do you want me to do it_?"

"_Yes. No. Yes because I want you to live. No because If we are going to die I want you to be by my side. Besides you can´t walk away from a good fight…"_

Bruce took Diana´s hand.

"_Diana… I_…"

It was then when flames erupted from nowhere in the bedroom. Like a big pyre exploded in front of them.

Diana shielded her face with her bracelets. Batman covered his body with his cape.

"_The fire!!! I´m sure it´s magical_!!!"

"_Why here_???" Batman asked.

Suddenly, inside the fire a figure appeared, then two figures.

A woman. A man.

The fire slowly went down. Diana understood and quickly stood in front of Bruce. Even though he was a remarkable man, he was not ready for visions that could drive a normal person crazy.

She smiled at him and said: "_Look at me, look at me. You like me_."

Bruce did not move. Still, Diana knew he had understood what was going on.

Suddenly the fire was out. Smoke was all around the bedroom. And they heard a familiar voice.

"_Deaddeaddeaddeadallfornothingallforthissorrysorryi´msosorrypleaseforgivemygodIusedlovetocomehereiusedlovesorrysorrysorrysorrysorrydeaddeadsodeadpleasesorrypleaseforgivemesorry_".

Madame Xanadu was there, sitting on the burned floor talking to herself. She was crying and holding a burned piece of metal in her hands. Beside her, lied an unconscious naked red-haired man.

"_Bruce, It is her. Oh, Hera. She needs help_."

Batman was looking at the man on the floor.

"_Bruce, I know him! I met him in the beyond region so many years ago… That´s_..."

"_Jason Blood_" Batman said with a smile. "_Now I understand Fate´s plan_".

And outside the windows, the skies were redder than ever.

The twilight of the Gods was at hand.

**END OF BOOK II**


End file.
